Greg Rutherford withdraws from World Indoor Championships

Greg Rutherford has pulled out of the World Indoor Championships.

The British long jumper says he has pulled out of the competition in order to regain full fitness for the European Championships in Berlin in August.

Rutherford, 31, won the British indoor title in Birmingham last week and competed at the Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow on Sunday.

The 2012 Olympic champion said: "It has not been an easy decision.

"My performance from the British Championships to the Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow at the weekend showed improvement but it was still not at the level I demand of myself.

"I am now going to take a few days to recover from Glasgow before resuming training as I prepare for a successful summer."

The World Indoor Championships start on Thursday 1 March in Birmingham.