England 800m runner Max Burgin has withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games after developing a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.
The 20-year-old, the fastest man in the world this year over 800m, pulled out of last week’s World Championships with the problem.
The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham begin on Thursday.
“It’s gutting to have now missed out on two major champs over a medical issue that came out of nowhere,” Burgin said.
He thought he had strained his calf before further tests showed it was DVT, a blood clot that usually develops in the leg and can lead to more serious health issues if it breaks away and travels to other parts of the body.
He missed last year’s Tokyo Olympics after suffering hamstring and groin injuries.
“This DVT is something that can be fixed easily and relatively quickly,” Burgin said.
“It just seems like terrible bad luck, but I’m sure soon my fortunes will change and I’ll be competing regularly at future champs.”
