British Whitman Will Not Defend His 1500m Title at the World Championships

The British Athletics Federation indicated today, Wednesday, that "British runner Jake Whitman will not defend his title in the 1500 meters at the World Championships next month due to a foot injury sustained during a training camp earlier this year." Whitman wrote on his official Instagram account, stating, "As a result of the injury I sustained in February, I have had to deal with several setbacks while preparing for the races this summer." He added, "This means that, unfortunately, I will not be able to compete in the World Championships, which has been really hard to accept." Whitman noted that "my focus must now be on resting my body and preparing for 2024, to ensure that I will return to give my best." He continued, "There were some risks that could have been taken to be present in Budapest, but the possibility of jeopardizing the Olympic year makes this decision clear." Whitman suffered a fracture in his foot during training in South Africa and said that "time has run out" to fully regain his fitness to participate in the World Championships, scheduled to take place from August 19 to 27 in Budapest.