AP
9 August 2000 – London - Triple jump world-record holder Jonathan Edwards said Wednesday there was a "very remote'' possibility he could miss the Sydney Olympics because of a family illness.
The 34-year-old Briton, the silver medallist four years ago in Atlanta, said his mother-in-law was seriously ill with a brain tumor.
"It's a day at a time,'' he said. "We just hope and pray I am not in Sydney when Alison's mum is in her last few days. If that is the case, I will have to seriously think where I need to be.''
"It's a very remote possibility of me not competing at the Olympics.''
He said his mother-in-law's condition was ``starting to regress again and we are hoping and praying she does not get to the end stages of her cancer just as I step on to a plane in Sydney.''
Edwards, a deeply religious man, jumped 17.34 meters (56-10 3/4) to win in a meet last weekend in London and was expected to compete again in a Golden League meet on Friday in Zurich, Switzerland.
He will return Sunday to jump in Birmingham, England, in the British Olympic trials.
