- Ash Moloney had to withdraw from the decathlon due to an injury
- Ash’s mother expressed her heartbreak as events unfolded
- Alyson Moloney said she felt devastated for her son
The mother of Australian decathlete Ash Moloney has expressed her sorrow on social media after witnessing her son withdraw from the Olympic event due to an injury.
Alyson Moloney was in the stands in Paris as her son, a bronze medallist from the Tokyo Olympics, had to withdraw after three events of the decathlon due to an adductor injury.
After completing the initial three events on Friday—the 100m, long jump, and shot put—Moloney found himself in 19th position.
At 24 years old, he has faced a series of injuries, and witnessing the event conclude in this manner was ‘heartbreaking’ for his mother, who was also upset by the circumstances.
‘It’s 4am in Paris and sleep eludes me,’ she shared on Facebook.
‘I am utterly devastated for my son. His first worry was for me and the cost involved, but money can be replaced; he cannot. The media’s portrayal is what hurts most.
‘One person pointed out that he missed a few decathlons, and that becomes the headline. But these things happen.’
Ash Moloney was forced to withdraw from the Olympic decathlon
Moloney has had a shocking run of injuries in recent years
‘Blame the bad chicken, not the athlete. They don’t understand… (There’s two years of complications I can’t disclose) and they have no idea that he trains tirelessly, often six days a week, pushing himself to the limit, even altering his techniques like switching lead legs in hurdles. I’m certain they wouldn’t be aware that he placed 4th at Gotzis, and claimed victories at both the National and Oceania Championships since then.
‘Why ruin a good story? In conclusion, best of luck to all our incredible athletes, especially those in multi-event sports.’
Prior to the Games, Ash Moloney reflected on the evolution of his relationship with his body.
‘In my youth, I foolishly believed I was invincible,’ he remarked.
The reigning Olympic bronze medallist was forced to withdraw before the high jump began
‘Now, I maintain a more balanced training routine and adhere to strict practices daily.
‘Previously, my approach was simply to push harder without regard for my body’s signals until I broke down, only to recover and repeat the cycle.
‘Post-Tokyo, I was exhausted and struggled to walk properly due to the all-or-nothing mentality that consumed me. Despite performing well at the World Indoor Championships in 2022, I sustained another injury during the high jump.
‘The knee injury from Tokyo worsened, resulting in a minor tear in the patella. Since then, I’ve faced a relentless series of setbacks.
‘That was the time I had to withdraw from five consecutive competitions due to knee issues.’
