Athletics: McKoy to miss Gothenburg

The Olympic champion, Mark McKoy, has joined his friend Colin Jackson as a non-runner in the 110m hurdles at the World Championships in Gothenburg. The Austrian has hip and Achilles tendon injuries.

Germany's Olympic high jump champion, Heike Henkel, and world heptathlon silver medallist Sabine Braun may also be forced out of the championships, which start on Friday.

Henkel, who has been struggling with a back problem and has failed to reach top form this season, will make her decision after competing at a domestic meeting in Norderney today.

Braun has been unable to train fully for the past four weeks because of back and leg pains.

The German marathon runner Uta Pippig is expected to withdraw from the 10,000 metres because of a calf problem. The team have also lost the former world champion Thomas Schoenlebe from the 4 x 400 metres squad because of an Achilles tendon injury.