Canadian triple Olympic sprint medallist Andre De Grasse has withdrawn from next month's Commonwealth Games to concentrate on his fitness for the outdoor season.
"The Commonwealth Games was going to be a great opportunity to display my talents to a passionate fan base in Australia," De Grasse said in a statement on Friday.
"I wouldn't want to go in there at any less than my best and for that reason we have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the games."
The Gold Coast Games on April 4-15 is typically earlier than most sprinters start their seasons.
De Grasse, 23, was silver medallist in the 200m at the 2016 Rio Olympics and won bronze in the 100m and 4x100m relay.
He missed the 2017 world championships after suffering a hamstring injury in training.
The injury has healed but De Grasse still isn't where he wants to be from a fitness standpoint.
"My team and I feel like this is the best decision for the long term," De Grasse said.
"I will now train hard through the spring to be ready for a strong and full outdoor season."
He plans to run a 100m race at the Drake Relays in late April.
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