WEST FIFE running star Owen Miller has been ruled out of the World Para Athletics Championships through injury.

The 32-year-old was, as Press Sport reported last month, selected for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team to compete at the event, which begins tomorrow (Friday) and runs until Saturday May 25.

Fife AC competitor Owen, who is the current T20 classification 1500 metres Paralympic champion, was one of two Scots, alongside T54 classification 400 metre, 800m and 1500m competitor, Melanie Woods, that were in the 18-strong squad for the event in Kobe, Japan.

However, he has been denied the opportunity to return to the country where he claimed his stunning Paralympic gold medal, at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021, through injury.

In announcing that Ali Smith and Zac Shaw had been chosen by their team-mates to captain the GB team, British Athletics stated: "Owen Miller sustained an injury before travel, so he has withdrawn from the T20 1500m at the championships."

Owen's coach, Steve Doig, said that he had picked up an issue shortly prior to returning home from a training camp just ahead of the team being picked.

"He had an issue with his leg, in our penultimate training session, which seemed to be like an adductor issue, on the inside of the thigh," he said.

"He didn't run for his last few days. He did some stuff on the bike, came back, got scans set-up, and he's got a stress reaction in his pelvis.

"It means that, currently, he's doing non-weight bearing activities, so all he can do is a little bit of swimming and some static cycling.

"He's not running at all the moment, so the hope is that he can turn things round and get back training for Paralympic selection."

The 2024 Paralympic Games, which will take place in Paris, will be held between August 28-September 8.