Triple jumper Nathan Douglas suffers freak ankle injury

Douglas hopes to be back for the 2012 season

British triple jumper Nathan Douglas will miss the rest of the season after a freak training accident.

Douglas put his foot through a plyometric box while jump training during a warm-weather camp in Italy.

The 28-year-old, who was 10th at last year's European Championships, suffered ruptured ankle ligaments.

"I will be doing everything within my power to get fit and healthy as quickly as possible while aiming to compete in the 2012 indoor season," he said.

Douglas's career has stalled since he finished second at both the 2006 European Championships and the 2007 European Indoors Championships.

He will miss the World Championships in Daegu, Korea, which begin on 27 August.

UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee has backed Douglas to come back strongly and return to his best in time for the London 2012 Olympics.

He said: "After four years of having to deal with various injury problems it was looking like this season Nathan was going to be better than ever before.

"It's a real blow that in literally his last session on his last day of warm-weather training he has once again suffered misfortune, and nothing he or his coach could have done could have prevented it.

"The injury will cost him his 2011 season, but I have been impressed by what I saw of Nathan prior to this setback and I am confident he can still achieve something special in 2012."