Genzebe Dibaba out of IAAF World Athletics Championships with foot injury

Ethiopia’s 1,500 metres world record holder and 2015 world champion Genzebe Dibaba has withdrawn from the IAAF World Athletics Championships starting in Doha next week due to a foot injury, her management company said on Thursday.

The Ethiopian, who set a new 1,500m world record in 2015 of 3:50.07 before clinching the world title in Beijing, was diagnosed with a partial rupture in her right foot after the Zurich Diamond League meeting in August, Pineda Sport said in a statement.

The 28-year-old, who won silver at the 2016 Rio Games, is the younger sister of triple Olympic gold medallist Tirunesh.

Her withdrawal leaves Kenya’s defending champion and Olympic gold medallist Faith Kipyegon and Ethiopian-born Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan, who broke the world mile record (4:12.33) in July, as favourites for the title.

Source: Reuters