27 January 2009 

Kelly Sotherton has withdrawn from Saturday’s Aviva International in Glasgow with a sore back. The injury was picked up during a final training session of a three-week training stint at the UKA Warm Weather Training Camp in Potchefstroom, South Africa.

“It’s not wise to compete in Glasgow. It would be too much of a risk. So I’ve decided to withdraw as a precaution.” She said.  

Sotherton is hoping to be able to compete in the pentathlon at the European Indoor Championships in Turin on 6-8 March, an event in which she won silver behind former Olympic champion Carolina Kluft (Sweden) in Birmingham two years ago.

Sotherton was due to compete for the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team in the long jump in Glasgow and also had a guest lane in the 60m Hurdles. Her replacement(s) will be announced in due course.