Australia loses Bec Allen for Paris Olympics with hamstring injury in final warmup game

By TERESA M. WALKER The Associated Press

FILE - New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello watches during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Indiana Fever, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in Indianapolis. Brondello said Thursday, July 25, 2024 it will be hard to replace forward Bec Allen, who also plays in the WNBA for the Phoenix Mercury. The Opals announced that Allen will miss what would have been her second Olympics after tests revealed a high grade hamstring injury suffered in the Opals' final warm-up for the Paris Games. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Darron Cummings]

VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France (AP) — Australia will play the 2024 Olympics without forward Bec Allen after tests revealed a high-grade hamstring injury suffered in the Opals’ final warmup for the Paris Games. Coach Sandy Brondello said losing Allen left the Opals “devastated.” The Opals announced the injury Thursday after their practice at Pierre-Mauroy Stadium. The Phoenix Mercury player had been set to play in her second Olympics. Australia replaced her with Amy Atwell, who will make her Olympic debut. Brondello also called Allen an important player who will be missed with teammates needing to step up in her absence.