Great Britain –Holly Bleasdale has had to accept defeat in her quest to be fit for next month’s World Championships in Moscow. The 21-year-old pole vaulter’s name was conspicuous by its absence when Great Britain announced its squad for the trip to Russia. Bleasdale, who is the current European indoors champion, has been struggling with Achilles and back injuries which forced her out of last weekend’s British Championships, in Birmingham. With the World Championships still a month away, Bleasdale – who boasts the third highest jump of all time indoors – was hoping to be ready in time to travel to Moscow. However, she has decided the event has come too soon for her to be able to compete. She said: “Good Luck to everyone selected for Moscow. “Unfortunately, I will have to miss this one due to injury. “I have two injury problems, which I came back with from training in the States. “One is tendinopathy in my Achilles, the other is stress related in my lower back. Both of them are getting so much better. “Missing the World Championships is a caution but I know people who’ve had some very serious Achilles problems. “I’m 21 and I don’t want that to be the case. “It’s best to get this sorted out now with the rest of my career ahead of me. “I was treated at Loughborough originally and have just spent the last two weeks at Bisham Abbey. “It’s been an 8.30am start there with two physio sessions, a massage and strength and conditioning session. “That finishes off about 4pm. It seems to be working and I certainly feel a lot stronger. I’m not really able to run or pole vault but I’m in the best shape. more at Lancashire Evening Post
