Keely Hodgkinson will not compete in Thursday’s Diamond League meeting in Zurich in the women’s 800m because her “body is not quite ready”.
Hodgkinson, an Olympic champion, had been due to face off against Audrey Werro of Switzerland, who recently won gold ahead of the Briton at the European Championships in Birmingham.
“Unfortunately the body isn’t quite ready to race again after the European Championships,” Hodgkinson said in a statement.
“We’ve made the decision to skip this race and get ready for the next one. Sad to miss it, hopefully see you next year!”
The race includes world champion over the 400m hurdles Femke Broeders-Bol, who is now running the 800m distance for the first time this season, and training companion of Hodgkinson, who claimed 800m gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last month, per BBC Sport.
World champion over the 800m Lilian Odira of Kenya, who won gold ahead of Hodgkinson and Hunter-Bell in the World Championships in Tokyo last year, has withdrawn from the event because of being ill and weak after the Commonwealth Games.
Having suffered from injuries in her hamstrings and knees in recent years, Hodgkinson did not attend the Commonwealth Games, concentrating on the European Championships.
“I signed myself up for Zurich because I knew everyone was in it but me. I want to be in with the best and I think that’s going to bring out the best in me,” Hodgkinson said in Birmingham earlier this month.
Before winning 800m gold at the London Diamond League on 18 July, Hodgkinson said she was feeling “definitely a lot better than I was”.
