Wales’ medal hope Dewi Griffiths has been forced to pull out of the Commonwealth Games due to injury.
The Swansea Harrier had been selected for both the 5,000m and 10,000m at the Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, but has been suffering from hamstring problems in recent weeks and there were worries he may also have a stress fracture.
Griffiths pulled up in the Welsh Cross Country Championships two weeks ago and also had injury problems competing in Slovakia in December.
Now, the 26-year-old has chosen to miss the Games after consultations with his coach and medical team. It’s a big blow for both Wales and Griffiths, who would have been a genuine medal contender after his recent surge in a form in a remarkable 2017.
Griffiths competed for Wales in the 10,000m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, but again had injury problems.
Griffiths – who made an incredible marathon debut in Germany last year with the second fastest time ever by a Welsh athlete – said: “This obviously isn’t the news any athlete would like to hear, but I’m sure Team Wales will do the country proud out there.
“There’s never a good time to be injured, but to be told so close to departing for Australia and the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games that the niggle I’d been running through was in fact a stress fracture was difficult to take.
“It’s a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness. I wish the whole of Team Wales the best of luck and I will be supporting them all the way – I’ll be back!”
Chris Jones, head of endurance for Welsh Athletics, said: “It’s a huge loss for the team, but it’s a sign of the level of work that Dewi has had to put in and sustain, in order to run at the level he has, especially to run a 2:09 marathon. Our eyes will now focus on where Dewi can go with the marathon and building towards Tokyo 2020.”
Griffiths’ Commonwealth Games were ruined in Glasgow four years ago when he was forced to run with an injury and battled his way around to complete the 10,000 metres and receive a standing ovation for his courage. Ever since then he has been dreaming of doing himself justice in 2018.
But such has been his advance in the past four years that he is now playing for much higher stakes and there is a European Championship marathon medal to be chased in Berlin this summer, as well as a number of money-spinning road races to build on his magnificent marathon debut in Frankfurt.