Lithuania's 2012 Olympic breaststroke gold medalist and Paris 2024 hopeful Ruta Meilutyte has undergone foot surgery and is expected to resume training in early April, her country's swimming federation said.
Meilutyte is the world-record holder and reigning world champion in the 50-meter breaststroke, which is not held at the Olympics, and won 100-meter gold at the 2012 London Games as a 15-year-old.
She was the 100-meter world champion in 2023 but failed to reach the semifinals at last month's world championships in Doha, Qatar.
The federation said on its website that Meilutyte had undergone surgery in Kaunas, Lithuania, after returning from Qatar.
"Ruta's foot has been hurting for several months during heavy physical exertion. After carrying out the tests, we found damage to the first metatarsal bone of the left foot," the federation quoted orthopedic surgeon Gintautas Pocius as saying. "Since the operation is a minimally invasive arthroscopy, we expect a quick rehabilitation process."
The federation said Meilutyte would have to wear a special brace for three weeks.
"The procedure will not disrupt the normal preparation plan for the Paris Olympics. In any case, a two- to three-week rest is planned after the world championships in Doha," it said.
The Paris Olympics open July 26.