Cuban hurdles star Robles out of worlds

Cuba's 110 metres hurdles Olympic champion and world record holder Dayron Robles will miss the upcoming world indoor championships in Turkey after injuring himself in training in Spain, the Cuban Athletics Federation said on Monday. Robles suffered the injury hitting a hurdle and will be unable to defend his 60m crown. "Robles is suffering lower back pain and we don't want to take any risks, as the injury could worsen," said Cuban athletics commissioner Aurelio Romero, quoted speaking from Spain by Radio Habana Cuba. He believed that "there is little time" to allow Robles to consider starting in Turkey with the championship curtain going up on Friday. Instead, the 25-year-old star will return home to concentrate on getting ready for this year's main target - the London Olympics. "We are in an Olympic year and don't want to risk anything as he is one of our hopes for London," Romero said. Robles's best time over 60m hurdles this season was 7.50sec, coming in on that occasion behind arch rival Liu Xiang of China, who clocked 7.41, in Birmingham in England.