Hurdler Rawlinson to miss Games

Rawlinson was one of the favourites for gold in Beijing

Australian world 400m hurdles champion Jana Rawlinson will miss next month's Olympic Games because of a toe injury.

The 25-year-old returned to the track in Poland last week after nine months out following surgery, but suffered another reoccurrence of the injury.

"The key to her chances would be how she pulled up from her Poland race," the Australian Olympic Committee said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Sadly she had been unable to train since she raced."

Rawlinson - wife of former British 400m hurdler Chris - had been included by the AOC's athletics team for Beijing.

She had undergone an operation on the second toe of her right foot two months after winning gold at the world championships in Osaka in August.

Although she had been determined to regain fitness in time for the 2008 Games, Rawlinson was eventually forced to admit defeat.

"She had been racing against time for several months and has now exhausted all possible options," the AOC statement added.