Dame Flora Duffy has opted to pull out of the World Triathlon Olympic Games Test Event, taking place in Paris today.

The Olympic champion made a late withdrawal from the event as she continues her recovery from a torn knee tendon that has hindered her title defence on the World Triathlon Series circuit this year.

“Not quite ready yet to race, so unfortunately I have pulled out of the Paris test event,” Duffy confirmed on Instagram on Tuesday night.

“Very frustrating. However, it was great to see the venue, ride and swim the course. It is all amazing! Good luck to everyone racing!"

The 35-year-old revealed in May she has been suffering from a long-term knee injury while expressing hope of competing in the Olympic Test Event.

After becoming the first triathlete to defend a Commonwealth Games title in Birmingham in July last year, Duffy began experiencing pain, which scans revealed to be a tear in her patella tendon.

That led to her requiring a platelet-rich plasma injection, which uses a patient’s blood cells to accelerate healing, seven weeks before making her debut in the 70.3 World Championship in St George, Utah, in October, in which she finished a respectable fifth.

Just a month later and despite battling through the pain barrier, Duffy went on to rewrite the history books after clinching a record-breaking fourth women’s world title when successfully defending her World Triathlon Championship Series crown with a thrilling win in the grand final in Abu Dhabi.

However, glory came at a cost with the Olympic champion confirming those efforts only further added to her injury problems.

The setback forced Duffy out of the start of the new World Triathlon Championship Series campaign, as well as hampering her ambitions of making the step up in distance to compete on the Professional Triathletes Organisation 100-kilometre Tour.

While she has been able to resume training having returned to her home in Boulder, Colorado, Duffy has been frustrated by the nature of the injury as she continues her rehabilitation under the guidance of doctors and physiotherapists.

“It’s been a real puzzle to figure out the correct loading, as well as how much training I can do on the side,” she said.

“There have been large chunks this year I haven’t trained just to try to calm my knee down and focus on my rehabilitation.

“I’ve started swimming again, but not pushing off from walls, and doing a tiny bit of riding, which has been quite frustrating.

“I have a good team of physios and doctors here helping me to progress.”A total 65 of her rivals will be taking to the start line, all keen to get a feel of the racecourse — consisting of a challenging Olympic distance 1,500-metre swim, 40-kilometre cycle and a 10km run — ahead of hopefully returning for next year’s main event.