Ukrainian high jumper Bohdan Bondarenko on Monday pulled out of this weekend’s Paris Diamond League meet where organisers say Genzebe Dibaba is aiming to lower the women’s 5000m world record.
Bondarenko, world champion in Moscow two years ago, misses Saturday’s event at the Stade de France with an injured ankle.
Arch rival Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar takes over as clear favourite to prevail in the high jump in his absence.
On the track, Ethiopia’s Dibaba is gunning to make history in the 5000m.
Already holder of world indoor records over 1500m, 3000m and 5000m, she is out to better a time of 14min 11.15sec set by her older sister, Tirunesh Dibaba, in Oslo in 2008.
The fastest time over the distance this year was the 14:14.32s run by Almaz Ayana, who is also lining up at the stadium north of Paris which staged the 1998 World Cup final.
If successful it will be the first ever world record at the Paris meet.AFP
