Everyday I was hunted like an animal: Perec

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Paris: French athlete Marie-Jose Perec says she walked out on the Sydney Games without competing because she was repeatedly threatened, adding that she is now contemplating her track future.

"Every single day I was hunted like an animal," the triple Olympic champion told French sports daily 'L'Equipe' in an interview released on Thursday.

"All the time there were people who came to me to say things like 'What are you doing here?', or 'Watch out, we'll get you.'

"People made threatening gestures, spotted my car and started following me. Every time I went to the supermarket, there were problems. I really got scared. That's why I left."

Perec, who won the 200 and 400 metres at the 1996 Olympics as well as gold in the 4x400 relay but who has since been plagued by ill health and injury, repeated that a man had forced her way into her hotel room and threatened her.

Asked if she would resume competing, the 32-year-old said, "I need time before making a decision but if I were to make that decision today, it would be no."

Perec flew to France a few days before the start of her much-anticipated 400 metres showdown with local favourite Cathy Freeman.

Australian newspapers suggested Perec had pulled out because she knew she would lose to Freeman, who won the 400 metres final on Monday.

"I have never been afraid of Freeman and I'm still not afraid of her," Perec told L'Equipe. "People must understand that I would never have gone to Sydney if I did not believe I could run in that final."



(c) Reuters Limited.