Judoka Lisa Kearney bows out of Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Judoka Lisa Kearney has pulled out of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio due to injury.

The 25-year-old has conceded that a knee injury will prevent her from qualifying for the finals, despite the main event being 17 months away.

"Unfortunately due to a bad knee injury my quest for Rio has come to a premature and abrupt end," she wrote on Twitter.

"The road to recovery will be long but with an amazing team behind me I have no doubt I will recover."

Kearney, who claimed a bronze medal for Ireland at the Commonwealth Games, needs to make the top 14 of the IJF's world rankings for her weight class to qualify for Rio, a feat she deems impossible in the time available.