Noguchi withdraws from Flora London Marathon

Olympic Champion Mizuki Noguchi has withdrawn from the Flora London Marathon (22 April ) due to an Achilles tendon injury.

Race Director, David Bedford commented �"We are obviously very disappointed that Noguchi will not be joining us in London this spring, but reports from her coach were that from late January Mizuki was bothered with an inflamed Achilles tendon in her left leg, and this hampered her enough that she was barely running during this period. Careful, steady treatment from her physio has more or less healed the injury, but the short of it is that she has missed about a month of quality training".

�"We know that Noguchi would not want to come to London if she could not do herself justice and of course wish her well for a speedy return to full fitness".

Noguchi said, �"I am really disappointed to miss this opportunity to run in the Flora London Marathon. I was very much looking forward to competing against the incredible field of women who will be in London in April, and of course I was also looking forward to running on the world record course. But having now missed a month of training, I feel I would not be anywhere near full strength by April 22nd.

David Bedford went on to say �"The Flora London Marathon is naturally disappointed at losing the Olympic Champion, but if anything, the women's race will be all the more intriguing now."