Athletics-Britain's Pozzi retires, declines Olympic spot after injury

(Reuters) - British hurdles runner Andrew Pozzi is retiring from athletics after a serious ankle fracture halted his 15-year long career, British Athletics said.

The 32-year-old, who was set to be picked for the Paris Olympics, announced he has turned down his selection for Team GB and withdrawn from competing in the Games on Thursday evening.

Pozzi won the World Indoor 60m hurdles title in Birmingham in 2018. He also claimed the European Indoor 60m title in 2017 and clinched silver at the 2021 edition.

The Briton, who missed the 2023 season with serious injury, said he had battled hard to return to the world stage and earn his place at what would have been his fourth Olympic Games.

"I'm immensely proud of the progress that I have made this season and the level that I was once again able to reach," Pozzi said in a social media post on Thursday.

"Unfortunately as I continued to build and improve upon my 13.23s clocking in Montgeron my body gave way in training to another serious ankle fracture.

"I have decided that now is the right time for me to retire from professional athletics. This is a profoundly sad moment, but also one that I can embrace fully, with the knowledge that I have approached every minute of my time in this sport with uncompromising focus."

(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)