Reigning Champion Opts to Miss Portland and Prepare for Outdoor Season

Published by The Guardian on February 29, 2016

Richard Kilty will not defend his World Indoor Championship 60m title in Portland next month after taking the “gut-wrenching decision” to focus instead on preparing for the outdoor season, where he believes he can break 10 seconds for the 100m and 20 seconds for the 200m for the first time.

The Guardian can exclusively reveal that Kilty was approached by UK Athletics’ selectors on Sunday, who wanted to select him as their second athlete in the 60m alongside James Dasaolu, who won the British trials.

However Kilty, who was controversially false started in the semi-finals of the trials on Saturday, has decided to miss Portland in order to ensure he hits the outdoor season running as he bids to qualify for the Rio Olympics in either the 100m or 200m and the 4x100m relay.