Dean Macey today revealed he will not compete in the decathlon at this year's IAAF World Championships in Paris.
The 25-year-old Canvey Island athlete has, on medical advice, decided he is not fit enough to try to add to the silver and bronze medals he has already won at the event.
Macey was scheduled to compete at the Spar Euro-pean Cup of Combined Events in Tallinn on July 6, in a bid to achieve the qualifying standard for the world championships, which will be held during August.
But now Macey, following intensive consultation with his coach and doctor, will concentrate on achieving maximum fitness for next year's Olympics in Greece.
Macey -- fourth in the 2000 Sydney Games -- is now aiming for the Olympic qualifying mark at the Decastar meeting in Talence at the end of September.
"I am content with the change of plan," he said. "It enables me to fully return to my maximum capacity instead of rushing my fitness and risking the injury and poor performance at the European Cup.
"Obviously I am sad to be missing out on the World Championships. To miss any event of this calibre is a real blow to an athlete.
"However, I see the Olympics as my ultimate goal and that mean I have to make sacrifices along the way, be patient and not push myself too far too soon."
Published Thursday, June 26, 2003
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