French long jumper Salim Sdiri was taken to hospital after being hit by a javelin during the Golden League meeting in Rome on Friday.
Long jumper Salim Sdiri of France is carried away by paramedics after he was hit by a javelin during the Golden Gala IAAF Golden League at the Olympic stadium in Rome July 13, 2007. [REUTERS]
The incident occurred midway through the evening when Finnish thrower Tero Pitkamaki slipped at the end of his run-up, hurling the javelin out to the left of the landing area and spearing Sdiri in his right side as he crouched in the long jump warm-up section.
A medical crew and ambulance were quickly at the scene, but meeting organisers could not say how serious the injury was.
"He was hit on the right. He is conscious, but we don't yet know how deep it went or how serious the wound is," the medical officer for the Italian Athletic Federation, Giuseppe Fischetto told Reuters.
"We will only know after we've carried out further tests in hospital".
A shocked-looking Pitkamaki held his head in his hands after the incident but took his next throw in the javelin competition.
Long jumper Salim Sdiri of France is helped by paramedics after he was hit by a javelin during the Golden Gala IAAF Golden League at the Olympic stadium in Rome July 13, 2007. [REUTERS]