Jenn Suhr’s Olympics were a nightmare

JENN Suhr was all primed for Olympic glory, but something far worse than she could have imagined ruined her trip to Rio.

Rio was rough for Jenn Suhr.

THE pole vault world-record holder was banned. The hometown favourite didn’t make it through qualifying.

It was all perfectly set up for Jenn Suhr to win another Olympic gold medal.

It didn’t happen.

The American couldn’t overcome a respiratory infection that left her dizzy, coughing up blood earlier in the day and throwing up twice near the pole vault area during the competition.

Suhr ended up tied for seventh on Saturday in an event won by Ekaterini Stefanidi of Greece. Sandi Morris of the United States finished with silver and Eliza McCartney of New Zealand wound up with bronze.

“I feel horrible,” Suhr — who captured Olympic gold four years ago in London and silver at the 2008 Beijing Games — said afterwards. “I’m actually getting concerned. It’s going on Day 10 and I feel worse today.”

Her next stop — home to New York get treatment for this mysterious illness.

“They think it’s respiratory and now in the lungs. This morning I was coughing up blood,” the 34-year-old Suhr said. “It’s getting scary.”

For her husband, too. Rick Suhr, also her coach, took to Facebook on Monday morning to detail how horrific the Olympics were for the couple.

“I just want to get out of here and go home and figure it out,” Jenn Suhr said.

Just when the path to another gold medal appeared wide open, too.

Suhr’s top competitor was supposed to be Yelena Isinbayeva, the world-record holder who had been banned from the games, along with dozens of other Russians, because of a doping investigation. Isinbayeva called it quits on Saturday as she focuses on a new career in sports politics and even mulls over an offer to lead the Russian track and field team.

Also missing from the field was Fabiana Murer, the Brazilian who was expected to get in the mix for a medal but didn’t make it out of qualifying.

“It’s such a crappy feeling to know you’ve worked four years for this and for this to happen,” Suhr said. “It’s embarrassing, too.”

Early on, Suhr thought she felt OK enough to compete. While warming up, she was clearing the bar at 4.90m, which would’ve won this competition. It didn’t carry over into the final. Stefanidi and Morris both cleared the same height — 4.85m — but Stefanidi had fewer misses.

“I was like, ‘I’m on,’” Suhr said. “After warm-ups, everything shut down. My muscles — I’ve never had them shake.”

Morris could tell her teammate didn’t feel well.

“She just looked pretty dreary. I don’t know how else to say it,” Morris said. “She just didn’t look energetic. I really feel for her. It’s just an unfortunate circumstance to get sick at this time.”

Suhr was one of the medal favourites.