NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5- Olympics champion and world record holder, David Rudisha, has shifted his focus to getting fit for the May 31 IAAF Diamond League meet in Eugene, Oregon after a calf-strain ruled him out of this Friday’s opener in Doha.
Rudisha, 25, was among the top draws for the Qatar Super Grand Priz but was forced out following the slight muscle injury he sustained last week while training in Iten.
“He told me a few days ago he was feeling stiffness in his muscles. He is disappointed he will not go; Doha is a special meeting to him.
“He has won there a few times and the organisers have been wonderful to him. He felt his calf muscles and he knew he could not give his all and that is why he opted out,” his coach, Brother Colm O’Connell, told Capital Sport on Monday.
“He would have loved to go but he did not feel up to it. He has two weeks to prepare for Eugene and he is really up to it to be in good shape for that,” the revered Patrician Brothers tactician added.
Connell said the record holder who blasted to the all time best at the unbelievable final of the London 2012 Olympics where he stopped the clock at 1:40.91 was back in light training as they tried to ease him back to action.
Having twisted his knee injury ahead of the New York Diamond League meeting last season, Rudisha has sat out of action for almost a year, missing the defence of his world title in Moscow last summer.
A statement from organisers on Sunday confirmed his belated withdrawal from Doha.
“I’m very disappointed not to be able to race in Doha. I know I have got a lot of fans there and I’m sorry I cannot compete for them,” Rudisha said in the statement.
“He has been training well, progressively getting fitter and stronger these last months and was excited about returning to competition in Doha. It’s been on his agenda these last months and he’s been building towards that.
“It’s not a major injury but he has been sore and unfortunately doesn’t feel able to risk his comeback by racing in Doha next week,” his manager, James Templeton, added.
