28th February 2018

RUTHERFORD WITHDRAWS FROM WORLD INDOORS TO RETAIN FULL FITNESS FOR SUMMER

British Athletics has today announced that Greg Rutherford (coach: Dan Pfaff; club: Marshall Milton Keynes) will not compete at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham as he continues to regain full fitness following injury.

Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth long jump gold medallist Rutherford was given a host nation place for the IAAF World Indoor Championships three days after winning the British indoor title at Arena Birmingham.

Rutherford competed for the second time in the space of the week at the Müller Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow on Sunday but on reflection has chosen to withdraw from the IAAF World Indoor Championships in order to retain full fitness in time for the outdoor season.

Greg Rutherford said: “My performance from the British Championships to the Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow at the weekend showed improvement but it was still not at the level I demand of myself. It has not been an easy decision but I have therefore chosen to withdraw from the World Indoor Championships. I am now going to take a few days to recover from Glasgow before resuming training as I prepare for a successful summer. I am committed to becoming the first long jumper to win three European titles in a row and will be training hard over the coming months to return to the track as fit as ever.”

Neil Black, Performance Director at British Athletics, said: “It has been fantastic to see Greg return to competition this indoor season and we have been impressed by the progress he has made. Unfortunately, that progress is not quite enough for him to be able to compete at the high standards he demands in Birmingham. Greg is a great role model and ambassador for the sport as demonstrated at the British Indoor Championships and Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow and we look forward to seeing him back fully fit in the summer.”

Rutherford’s withdrawal brings the size of the GB & NI team set to #REPRESENT in Birmingham to 31.

The British Athletics team selected to #REPRESENT at the IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018:

MEN:

60m:

CJ Ujah (Stuart McMillan; Enfield & Haringey)

Andrew Robertson (Sam Robertson; Sale Harriers Manchester)

400m:

Lee Thompson (John Henson; Sheffield & Dearne)

800m:

Elliot Giles (Jon Bigg; Birchfield Harriers)***

1500m:

Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman; Edinburgh)

Chris O’Hare (Terrence Mahon; Edinburgh)

3000m:

Jonathan Davies (Luke Gunn; Reading)

60m hurdles:

Andrew Pozzi (Benke Blomkvist; Stratford-upon-Avon)

David King (James Hillier; City of Plymouth)

High jump:

Robbie Grabarz (Fuzz Caan; Newham & Essex Beagles)***

4x400m:

Lee Thompson (John Henson; Sheffield & Dearne)

Jamal Rhoden-Stevens (Donovan Reid; Shaftesbury Barnet)

Grant Plenderleith (David Lothian; Sheffield & Dearne)

Owen Smith (Matt Elias; Cardiff)

Sebastian Rodger (Stephen King; Shaftesbury Barnet)

Efe Okoro (Tony Hadley; Birchfield Harriers)

WOMEN:

60m:

Asha Philip (Steve Fudge; Newham & Essex Beagles)

Bianca Williams (Lloyd Cowan; Enfield & Haringey)

400m:

Eilidh Doyle (Brian Doyle; Pitreavie)

Zoey Clark (Eddie McKenna; Thames Valley)

800m:

Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (Jon Bigg; Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)

Mhairi Hendry (William Parker; Victoria Park City of Glasgow)

1500m:

Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall; Dundee Hawkhill)

Laura Muir (Andy Young; Dundee Hawkhill)

3000m:

Laura Muir (Andy Young; Dundee Hawkhill)

Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall; Dundee Hawkhill)

60m hurdles:

Marilyn Nwawulor (Lloyd Cowan; Harrow)

Megan Marrs (Jerzy Maciukiewicz; Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)

High jump:

Morgan Lake (Fuzz Caan; Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)***

Pentathlon:

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Bertrand Valcin; Liverpool Harriers)

4x400m relay:

Eilidh Doyle (Brian Doyle; Pitreavie)

Zoey Clark (Eddie McKenna; Thames Valley)

Amy Allcock (Glyn Hawkes; Aldershot Farnham & District)

Anyika Onuora (Rana Reider; Liverpool Harriers)

Meghan Beesley (Michael Baker; Birchfield Harriers)

Hannah Williams (Colin Gaynor; Herts Phoenix)

***Indicates an athlete given a host nation place