The British international will miss the London Marathon as will Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba.
Great Britain’s Andy Vernon has been forced to withdraw from the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon due to injury.
The 33-year-old, who is a former double European Championships medallist on the track over 5000m and 10000m, was due to make his marathon debut in London on Sunday, April 28.
But a recurrence of a hamstring injury has forced him to withdraw.
“I’m gutted I have had to withdraw from the Virgin Money London Marathon,” said Vernon. “I was really looking forward to running my first marathon and being in London was going to be extra special.
“Having started my marathon preparation with two injuries it was always going to be a tough ask to make the start line healthy, but one of them has got the better of me and it just wouldn’t be sensible to attempt a marathon with my body not being 100 per cent right, they are hard enough as it is.”
North American pair Chris Derrick (USA) and Cam Levins (CAN) have also withdrawn for the men’s race, while Mikael Ekvall (SWE) and Matt Sharp (GBR) are no longer running.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba has withdrawn from the London Marathon for personal reasons.
Photo: photorun
The three-time Olympic champion and current 5,000m world record holder was second in the 2017 race when she set a personal best (PB) of 2:17:56, making her the fifth fastest female marathon runner in history.
USA’s Allie Kiefer, who was seventh at last November’s TCS New York City Marathon, has withdrawn as has Denmark’s Anna Holm Jorgensen.
Swiss pair Maude Mathys and Martina Strahl have both also pulled out, as has Irish internationals Emma Mitchell and Laura Graham, plus England international Eleanor Davis.
For the most up-to-date start list, click here, while the latest news on the London Marathon can be found here.
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