Tergat pulls out of London marathon

LONDON, Apr 19 (Reuters) World marathon record holder Paul Tergat has withdrawn from Sunday's London marathon after injuring his calf while training in his native Kenya last week.

Tergat, 36, told reporters today he had sustained the injury in a muscle in his left calf.

''I was to fly here on Wednesday but this problem came on Monday. I trained all day without any problem I went to sleep and woke up in pain.

''I flew from Kenya to Italy to try and get some treatment,'' he said. ''I tried everything I could to try and compete here.

''I am really disappointed I can't compete here. I have worked so hard for this race.'' Tergat won the world cross country long course title five times in a row and finished second to Ethiopian rival Haile Gebrselassie over 10,000 metres at two Olympic Games and two world championships.

He finished second in his marathon debut in the 2001 London race before setting his world record of two hours four minutes 55 seconds in the 2003 Berlin marathon.

REUTERS AY RN1856