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Greg Rutherford withdraws from World Athletics Championships

Reigning world champion Greg Rutherford will not defend his title in London Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Greg Rutherford has withdrawn from the World Athletics Championships with an ankle injury.

The reigning long-jump World Champion pulled out of the Anniversary Games earlier this month as he attempted to recover ahead of the championships in London, but the 2012 Olympic gold medalist will now be unable to defend his world title.

Rutherford will now miss the rest of the athletics season with the injury, which means he will also miss next month's Diamond League meeting in Birmingham.

In a statement on Twitter, Rutherford said: "In the last few days, I have had to accept an unfortunate reality. I did everything I could, but a string of injuries at the worst possible time means I will be unable to defend my world title in London.

"I am truly gutted. That stadium is such a special place for me, I am so devastated that I won't be competing in front of the best fans in the world, in a stadium that changed my life."