UK Athletics can confirm that Chris Thompson (Alan Storey, Aldershot Farnham and District) will not compete in the World Athletics Championships men’s marathon this weekend after significant delays in the processing of his US visa.

UKA had been in close liaison with World Athletics and enlisted help of the UK Government to solve a last minute hold up, however, due to the close proximity to the marathon on Sunday 17 July, Thompson is now unable to travel and compete.

GB & NI Team Leader, Paula Dunn said:

“We are obviously very sad for Chris that he has been unable to travel to Eugene for the World Athletics Championships. We are grateful for the interventions and assistance of World Athletics and the UK Government to attempt to resolve the matter, but time has run out.

“We are gutted that Chris will miss the Worlds as he has worked incredibly hard to be in a position to race here.”

Chris Thompson said:

“I’m absolutely devastated I won’t be in Eugene to compete. This was my major aim for the year and had prepared well for it. I’ll never know what might have been, but I had high expectations of myself going out. It should never have got to this point and It’s hard to believe it has.

“However, I’m very grateful to my close network of family, friends, colleagues and officials who supported and rallied for me, to try amend the situation.”