Malaysian sprinter Siti Zubaidah pulls out of CWG

The growing list of athletes pulling out of the Commonwealth Games got longer on Sunday with Malaysian sprinter Siti Zubaidah Adabi withdrawing from the crisis-hit event citing poor form.

The 24-year-old Siti became the first Malaysian athlete to pull out of the October 3-14 mega-event after failing to clock a good timing in the Armed Force meet in Ipoh last weekend.

Siti was supposed to compete under Category B in the Games after she failed to beat the qualifying mark of 11.40 seconds, which is the sixth placing mark of the 2006 Melbourne Games.

She, however, was selected to compete in the Delhi Games under Category B for clocking a personal best of 11.81 in the 100m at the Asian Grand Prix in Pune in June.

"She could not clock a good time in the Armed Force meet because she had just recovered from a right heel injury," National chief coach Harun Rasheed was quoted as saying in the Star Online.

Considering her poor form, Siti, who finished a disappointing fourth in the women's 100m final in the Armed Forces meet, was advised to skip the Games to focus on the Asian Games in November by coach Harun.

"Siti is the member of the 4x100m relay team who have qualified on merit for the Asian Games," said Harun.

Disappointed to miss the Games, Siti said she would look to put up a good performance at the Asian Games.

"I was looking forward to my debut in the Games but it was just unlucky that I injured my heel and could not train for few weeks.

"Despite recovering from the injury, I failed to impress coach Harun at the Armed Forces meet and he advised me to skip the Games in New Delhi," said Siti, adding that she would continue her training to make her debut in the Asian Games.