Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn from April’s London Marathon because of an Achilles injury.
The Dutch athlete, who won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics in a Games record time, sustained the injury when training on a treadmill six weeks ago.
She hoped to recover in time to race in London but has accepted defeat.
“To compete at that level, you need to be in perfect condition,” said Hassan, who won the women’s race at the 2023 London Marathon.
“After the incident, I hoped the injury would settle, but as training progressed it became clear that I wasn’t able to prepare at the level I expect from myself.
“I have to listen to my body and focus on recovering properly.”
Hassan, 33, is one of the most decorated long-distance runners in history, having also won gold medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
With her subsequent success in 2024, the Ethiopia-born athlete became the first woman to win Olympic golds over 5,000m, 10,000m and the marathon.
The 2026 edition of the London Marathon takes place on Sunday, 26 April.-BBC
