Katie Archibald out of Paris Olympics after tripping in garden and breaking lower leg

Two-time Olympic champion Katie Archibald is out of the Paris Olympics after an innocuous garden fall saw her break bones in her lower leg.

The GB track star confirmed on her Instagram that the incident would prevent her from racing at her third games. 

She wrote: "I tripped over a step in the garden and managed to, somehow, dislocate my ankle; break my tibia and fibula; and rip two ligaments off the bone. What the heck."

It will mean a reshuffle in GB's track lineup, and its team pursuit squad. At last year's Track World Championships, Archibald was part of the squad which won gold in the team pursuit in Glasgow. 

British Cycling also released a statement on the "heartbreaking" news.

"Earlier this week, Katie Archibald had an accident at home which has resulted in a broken ankle which she has since had surgery on," BC said. "Following medical advice, this unfortunately means that Katie will be unable to compete at the upcoming Olympic Games.

"We share in Katie’s heartbreak over her injury, and the cruel manner in which she has been denied the chance to ride for the medals she so coveted in Paris.

"Our focus is now on providing Katie with the best possible support as she begins her recovery, and we know that the whole cycling community will be right behind her for every step."

Archibald wrote on her Instagram: "[I] Had surgery yesterday to pin the bones back together and reattach the ligaments. Then hopefully this afternoon I'll be going home (wearing a more high tech boot than the one in my hot dogs pic).

"A hundred thank yous for the fabulous doctors, nurses, radiographers, porters, physios, surgeons and more at the Manchester Royal Infirmary.

"A hundred apologies for what this means for the Olympic team, which I've been told won't involve me.

"I'm still processing that bit of news, but thought I better confirm it publicly instead of leaving it to the grapevine (trip hazard and all that).

"Might be back with more updates, might be gone from the socials for a bit - TBC. Ciao for now."

It is not the first time that Archibald has injured her ankles this Olympic cycle. In 2022, she was crashed into by a car driver, resulting in time off the bike. The same year, she also fractured two transverse processes of the vertebrae in March, and then broke her collarbone in a crash at a UCI Track Nations Cup in April.