Athletics: World record holder Paul Tergat has expressed his disappointment after being forced out of this weekend's Flora London Marathon with a calf injury.
The 36-year-old Kenyan, who would have been making his fifth appearance in the event, picked up the injury six days ago while training at home.
"I'm so disappointed," said Tergat, who set his world record of two hours four minutes and 55 seconds in Berlin two and a half years ago. "I have worked so hard for it and not to be in the action is cruel.
"My focus has only been on the race. London is top of my calendar and I was out for something special.
"It's very difficult to find this kind of race, so not to be in there at the 11th hour is hard to accept."
Tergat, who has figured in some great contests against Haile Gebrselassie, admitted missing what looked like being another titanic clash with his Ethiopian rival was also upsetting.
"It was my dream to race against him again," added Tergat, who was twice narrowly beaten in sprint finishes for the Olympic 10,000 metres gold medal.
"But to start the race and be forced to stop wouldn't make sense. We are human and this is the human body. I have to accept it."
Four-times world 10,000 metres champion Haile Gebreselassie has now been installed as favourite for the race.
Gebrselassie relegated five times world cross country champion Tergat to second place in two Olympic and two world 10,000 finals before the 36-year-old Kenyan finally decided to swap the track for the road.
Gebrselassie today discounted talk of a world record in Sunday's race and said he thought the event would be more tactical than fast.
"The marathon is not an easy thing, it's not like the 10,000 or 5,000 metres," he said. "The marathon is very special.
"It will be a good race, believe me. It will be a very interesting race."