Kenyan Rudisha out of Doha League meet

Kenyan David Rudisha, the world record holder in the men's 800m and one of the main drawcards here, has withdrawn from the season-opening Diamond League meeting on Friday. Rudisha, who broke Wilson Kipketer's long-standing record over the two-lap race twice last year for a best of 1:41.01, is suffering from an injury to his left foot that prevented him from training over the past week. The injury was not considered serious, organisers said. "I am very disappointed not to be able to run at this meeting, where I have opened my summer racing season for the last four years," said Rudisha, who opened his season at the IAAF World Challenge meeting in Melbourne on March 3, clocking 1:43.88, the fastest in the world this season. Rudisha's doctor described the injury as peritendinitis of the foot's flexor muscles of the left lower leg, but added that there was "no injury of the ankle, no stress reaction/fracture, and no cartilage injury". Rudisha's injury setback is not expected to impact his scheduled race appearances later this month. One of Rudisha's main rivals for the 800m crown here, double World Indoor champion Abubaker Kaki of Sudan, has also pulled out of the 800m due to a small muscular injury. "Kaki sustained a leg cramp while training which has revealed a small muscular injury," the Sudanese athlete's team said. "He has had an examination by a physio and has been told to take it very easy for the next week so the injury will not get any worse and has time to recover." The Doha Diamond League kicks off a 14-meet season which bridges the August 27-September 4 World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea. This year's event in the Qatari capital, which takes part in the 15,000-seat Qatar Sports Club, will feature male athletes competing in the 100m, 800m, 5000m, 400m hurdles, high jump, pole vault, triple jump, shot put and javelin. Women will take part in the 200m, 400m, 1500m, 3000m steeplechase, 100m hurdles, long jump and discus throw.