The New Zealand runner Zane Robertson has been forced out of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
New Zealand athlete Zane Robertson. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Glasgow 2014 5000 metre bronze medallist picked up a groin injury earlier this year.
It forced the Kenyan-based New Zealander to miss several weeks of training at a key stage of his preparation.
While he has been training since then, he has not recovered to the extent he could put on the black singlet and give it his best shot.
The 28-year-old had been selected for both the 10,000m, in which he holds the NZ record, and the marathon. While it would not have been possible to compete in both, he was hopeful of putting up a very good performance in one or the other.
"Zane had hoped he could make up the lost time and come into the village with the confidence to race hard and put him in the frame for a good performance," Athletics New Zealand High Performance director Scott Goodman said.
"I've been talking to Zane daily for the last couple of weeks and he really wanted to run on the Gold Coast and put up a performance he could be proud of, but he has not been able to put in the solid track sessions he needs."
"Zane has very high standards and he didn't want to come and put in a below par race or be forced to withdraw during the race," Mr Goodman added.
Robertson will remain training in Kenya and set himself for some road races, with perhaps another crack at a fast marathon later in the year.
