Olympic champion Greg Rutherford has been added to the British team for next month’s World Championships with performance director Neil Black convinced that he is fit enough for Moscow.
Rutherford wasn’t among the 60, later to be 61, Brits named for the trip to Russia on July 16 with a hamstring injury placing a cloud over his participation in the long jump.
However all was not lost with Black using performance director discretion to leave the spot open, not only for Rutherford, but also for British champion Chris Tomlinson.
And, following a series of fitness tests, it is Rutherford who has been formally named on the team with Tomlinson, whose fitness isn’t in doubt, therefore denied a trip to Moscow.
Neither have jumped the World Championship A qualifying standard of 8.25m and just one centimetre separates the two this season, Olympic champion Rutherford ahead on 8.22m.
Rutherford has proved to the selection committee that he had made a level of progress that would see him able to perform strongly in Moscow with Black seeing no reason why not.
“Greg has shown a remarkable level of recovery during a short space of time, something he has shown an aptitude for throughout his athletics career,” said Black.
“Following the fitness tests and his record of being able to produce a quality performance off minimal build up, I am pleased to confirm his place in the GB & NI team.
“He’ll continue to work closely with the support staff to maximise every additional moment in between now and the 14th of August.”
© Sportsbeat 2013