Rising Australian shot putter Damien Birkinhead has pulled out of Thursday's Auckland Track Challenge with a groin injury.
The 22-year-old Birkinhead has twice smashed his personal best in recent weeks, throwing 20.80m in Christchurch and 21.21m in Hobart.
But the groin strain has ended the prospect of him going head-to-head in Auckland with local favourite Tom Walsh, the 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medallist.
Among the Australians in action on Thursday will be two-time Commonwealth pole vault gold medallist Alana Boyd, 2009 discus world champion Dani Samuels, javelin thrower Hamish Peacock and 800m runners Brittany McGowan and Selma Kajan.
Reigning Olympic women's shot put champion Valerie Adams will contest her first competition in Auckland for three years as she looks to find form ahead of the world indoor championships.
