The Helensburgh athlete was diagnosed with a concussion after the incident that dashed her quest for gold in Japan.

Sakakibara travelled to Europe immediately after the Games, her eye on this weekend's World Championships in the Netherlands.

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Instead, the 21-year-old will miss the competition as the effects of the concussion continue to linger.

"For the past almost three weeks, I haven't felt like myself," Sakakibara wrote on Instagram.

"Along with the wave of emotions that come with the conclusion of the Games, I've been experiencing prolonged headaches, fatigue and mood swings that are post concussion symptoms - that I obtained when I crashed in Tokyo."

Sakakibara's crash in Japan came after older brother Kai was placed in an induced coma following a fall in Bathurst last year.

Saya is disappointed to miss the World Championships. However, she was not willing to risk serious injury by racing while still suffering from concussion.

"It is only right to not race the World Championships this year. It was a tough decision to accept but the right call to make. I've never expericed (sic) symptoms like this before and it's so important for me to manage it well for the longevity of my career.

"Racing this weekend will put me at a high risk of further injury to my head or other areas. Head injuries, even minor, are scary and need to be taken seriously."

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