Doucoure withdraws from 110m event

　　Shanghai (September 12) -- World champion Ladji Doucoure has withdrawn from the men’s 110 metres hurdles for Saturday’s Shanghai Golden Grand Prix because of injury, organisers have announced.

　　The 22-year-old Frenchman suffered a leg injury during the men’s 110 metres hurdles final at last week’s IAAF World Athletics Final in Monaco and was unable to make the trip to Shanghai on the advice of his doctor.

　　Doucoure finished sixth in Monaco in 13.27 seconds behind the United States’ trio of Allen Johnson, the former multiple world champion and Atlanta Olympic Games gold medallist, Dominique Arnold and 2004 Athens Olympic silver medallist Terrence Trammell.

　　Doucoure, who pipped China’s Olympic champion Liu Xiang by just one hundredths of a second on his way to gold at last month’s World Championships in Helsinki, had planned to visit Shanghai despite his injury. The Frenchman told organisers that he wanted to visit Liu Xiang’s home town and attend a number of charitable events organised by the organising committee.

　　However, Doucoure was strongly advised by his doctor to stay home and not make the long haul to Shanghai as the flight might aggravate his injury.

　　Doucoure told organisers in a statement that he was “very regretful’’ he could not compete in Shanghai. He wished the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix every success.

　　ENDS