MELBOURNE, May 1: Australia’s Olympic 400 metres champion Cathy Freeman is struggling in her preparation for the Manchester Commonwealth Games in July and August because of ongoing problems with a thigh injury.

Freeman will avoid a return to full-scale training for another three weeks, her coach Peter Fortune said Wednesday.

Freeman, who took an 18-month break from international athletics after the Sydney Olympics, has only qualified for the 4x400 metres relay team for the Commonwealth Games.

Scans on her thigh have revealed the dual world champion has not fully recovered from a stress injury.

“It is a concern that time is against us a little bit, I’ll have to admit that but we’re just pushing on,” Fortune told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio Wednesday.

“Our main priority is to get the leg right. She wants to get herself right and so we’re not trying to get too caught up with dates and ultimatums and things like that.”

Freeman withdrew from the national trials for the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane last month.—Reuters