Marathon News - Tomescu-Dita Withdraws from World Championships

Aug-21-2007

Tomescu-Dita Withdraws from World Championships
by David Monti
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

Constantina Tomescu-Dita, the winner of the bronze medal in the marathon at the last IAAF World Championships in Athletics, has been forced to withdraw from the upcoming World Championships because of an injury.

The Romanian star, who runs for Asics, has been hampered for two months by tendonitis problems in her right knee, according to her manager, Brendan Reilly. After returning to Romania from her Colorado home in early August, Tomescu-Dita consulted with doctors there. Although eager to at least help her Romanian teammates to a team medal in the marathon at Osaka, her doctors strongly advised against it.

"They said that if were to try a full marathon now, there is a high danger that I could break the tendon. With the Olympic Games still ahead next year, I don't want to risk a long, long injury, or a permanent injury. The federation also told me this is the best decision."

Tomescu-Dita was clearly a contender for a medal in Osaka. She won the silver medal at last year's IAAF World Road Running Championships, and finished third at last April's Flora London Marathon. The 37 year-old athlete has a personal best time of 2:21:30, which is also the Romanian record.