Athletics: Edwards takes a week's rest

The world triple jump record holder, Jonathan Edwards, has pulled out of two grand prix meetings this week - one in Lausanne tomorrow plus Oslo's Bislett Games on Friday - with a heel injury.

Edwards first felt the effects of the problem at last month's European Cup in Munich, where he restricted himself to only two jumps when winning his speciality in Great Britain's overall team victory.

The injury troubled him throughout last week but Edwards, whose major target this year is the defence of his World Championship title in Athens next month, took the decision to compete in Sunday's Securicor Games as a mark of respect to his army of supporters.

However, in Sheffield, Edwards again experienced problems and, after producing a second-round clearance of 17.54 metres to win the competition, he took no further part in the competition.

Edwards said: "It is not serious. The heel just needs resting and I am missing Lausanne and Oslo purely as a precautionary measure." His absence from the two grands prix means he will travel to defend his world title with only two further competitions, the British trials in Birmingham on 12 July and an international meeting in Salamanca two days later.