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SOFIA, Bulgaria -- Former Olympic champion triple jumper Tereza Marinova of Bulgaria retired weeks before the Beijing Games because of an Achilles' tendon injury that worsened the past six months.
The 30-year-old Marinova won the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, leaping 49 feet, 10½ inches on her first attempt. She has also captured world and European titles and was one of her country's medal hopefuls for next month's Olympics.
"This was the hardest decision in my life," Marinova said at a news conference Thursday. "I wanted very much to take part in the competition in Beijing, but then I realized that it would not be enough for me just to be there,"
