Athletics: Child is ‘bumped’ from Rome

Scottish 400 metres hurdles record-holder and Commonwealth silver medallist Eilidh Child has been “bumped” from the start list for tonight’s prestigious IAAF Diamond League meeting in Rome.

Child, who is anxiously chasing the UK Athletics Olympic A standard of 55.50 seconds, believed she was at least on the reserve list for the meeting which features many of the top athletes in the world, but she has now been told she will not get a run.

“It’s unfortunate as I thought I’d have a good chance of being pulled to a fast time as one of the slower runners in the race.”

Instead she have three races in nine days at European international permit meetings beginning in Geneva on Saturday, Montreuil in France next Tuesday and at the Josef Odlozil Memorial meeting in Prague a week on Monday. This means the 25-year-old will not be contesting the Scottish hurdles title at Scotstoun this weekend nor defending her 400m flat title.

Edinburgh University high jumper Ray Bobrownicki is another who will miss the Scotstoun meeting as he will be competing at Moulins in France where only athletes who have cleared 2.20m or more can take part.