The Glasgow Commonwealth Games hadn’t even opened when the withdrawals started piling up. Keely Hodgkinson didn’t even attempt to pursue selection. Kaylee McKeown and Summer McIntosh pulled out. Mary Moraa followed. Then, on the day of the opening ceremony, England Athletics was hit hard as a catalogue of stars announced their withdrawal. On that list is the double defending heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

The 33-year-old confirmed her withdrawal via a post on her official social media page, citing an injury that has affected her 2026 season.

“I’m gutted to have to pull out of this year’s Commonwealth Games,” Johnson-Thompson wrote on Instagram. “I was so looking forward to competing on home soil and having the chance to defend my Commonwealth title! Although the injury I picked up earlier this season has improved, I haven’t been able to get back to the level I need to compete at my best 🙏🏽.

“After discussing it with my team, we’ve made the difficult decision to focus on giving myself the best chance of being ready for the European Championships, so working very hard to be there later this season. Missing a championship is never easy, but I know it’s the right decision. I can’t wait to be back competing again soon.”

It marks a major blow for Team Great Britain, especially considering that Johnson-Thompson was chasing after a hat-trick of golds. The 33-year-old won gold comfortably at the 2018 edition of the Commonwealth Games. She beat out Nina Schultz, Thiam and Niamh Emerson on that occasion, recording 6255 as compared to Schultz’s 6133 and Emerson’s 6043.

It was the big wins in the high jump, 200m and long jump, which helped the British star get the jump on the other two. That trend continued into 2022, although Kate O’Connor made things rather close. Whenever Katarina Johnson-Thompson thought she had a lead, the Northern Ireland star was right behind her.

Johnson-Thompson won the high jump; O’Connor won the shot-put. The Brit won the 200m and came second in the long jump; the Irishwoman was within seconds of the 200m and won the javelin. But poor results in O’Connor’s long-jump and 800m meant that Johnson-Thompson took home the gold with 6377, bettering her mark from 2019.

The Irishwoman finished second with 6233 while Jade O’Dowda took third with 6212. But the 33-year-old Johnson-Thompson isn’t the only major withdrawal for England. If anything, she’s become one of many with Dina Asher-Smith, Matthew Hudson-Smith and Daryll Neita all stepping out. They join the already withdrawn Amber Anning, Anna Purchase, Elliot Giles, Jona Efoloko and Zac Sneddon.

A wave of late withdrawals has undoubtedly weakened the 2026 Commonwealth Games on paper. Even so, Glasgow 2026 chief executive Phil Batty believes the focus should be on those who are there, not the withdrawals.

Phil Batty confident despite the withdrawals

Despite being a major event in a year with no Olympics or World Championships, the Commonwealth Games has had it tough. It’s been a hectic schedule for athletes this year, and it has already seen the likes of Keely Hodgkinson withdraw. The 800m Olympic champion opted against selection and is skipping the event for the European Championships next month.

That has been the trend so far. The likes of Julien Alfred, Oblique Seville, Letsile Tebogo, Collen Kebinatshipi and a catalogue of others all opted to skip. However, Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s withdrawal is because of injury, and it has caused a few issues for the already scaled-back games. Victoria’s withdrawal from hosting duties led to Glasgow being picked as an alternative option.

It has seen the 2026 Commonwealth Games scaled down from 19 events to 10. Not just that, it’s set to take place at the 10,000-capacity Scotstoun Stadium. In comparison, the 2014 edition of the Glasgow Games was held at the 46,000-capacity Hampden Park. Despite that, Glasgow chief executive Phil Batty says the focus should be on what could be an exciting 2026 edition.

“We have got an incredible field of athletes,” Batty said, according to the BBC. “It is really important to make sure we have those athletes at the pinnacle of their career and you can see that across the sports.

“It is equally exciting to see, just like what happened in 2014 [previous Glasgow Games], which athletes this starts that breakthrough moment.”

Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s absence adds another high-profile name to a growing list of withdrawals to the already reshaped Games. Now, whether the next generation seizes that opportunity is one of Glasgow’s biggest storylines.