Dayron Robles - ap

HAVANA (AP)

Olympic hurdles champion Dayron Robles will miss the rest of the indoor track season because of a left hamstring injury.

The Cuban aggravated the injury during a 60-metre hurdles heat in France on Tuesday in Lievin. That came after a strained hamstring had already kept him out of recent events in Goteborg, Sweden, and Stuttgart, Germany.

"It was decided by Robles' coach, Santiago Antuner, that Robles will not compete any further in the indoor season," the organisers of an indoor meet in Birmingham, England, said yesterday in a statement. "The injury is not severe but enough to cause concern."

Robles, who won the 110-metre hurdles at the Beijing Olympics and holds the world record in the event, is expected to be back in time for the World Athletics Championships in August in Berlin.

"Dayron's injury is not serious," former high jump great and current Cuban track federation official Javier Sotomayor said in a telephone interview from Spain. "For now he has cancelled his next two events ... (and is) contemplating returning to Cuba to continue his medical treatment."

"It's just one of those things that happens during an athlete's career," Sotomayor said. "The most important thing for Dayron is recovering fully to be in perfect condition for the next World Championships."