8 March 2015

British Athletics have confirmed that Jenny Meadows will not compete in today’s European Athletics Indoor Championships women’s 800m final and has withdrawn on medical grounds.

The former European Indoor champion who came into the championships suffering from a virus was hoping to compete later today but her condition has worsened overnight and following a medical at the team hotel has decided to withdraw.

Meadows said:

“I’m really disappointed not to be running today. I went to bed really hopeful that I could compete and knowing that anything can happen in an indoor final.

“I’ve deteriorated further overnight and following discussions with medical staff and my coach, this could be one push too far for myself.

“I would have given everything I have got in me over those four laps but I am serious about doing well in the outdoor season this year and that has to be the bigger picture.”

British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black said:

“We’re massively disappointed for Jenny that she can’t take her place on the start line today.

“We have to give the athlete every opportunity to progress. We’ve seen athletes suffering with illness recover in the past over a spell of a few hours.

“If she had been in a position to take her place in the final we’d not have been doing our jobs properly if we hadn’t secured it for her.”