31 Aug 2013

Drysdale withdraws from world champs

5:51 am on 31 August 2013

The Olympic champion Mahe Drysdale has withdrawn from the men's single sculls lower tier semi-finals at the rowing world championships in Korea, after waking up unable to use his right arm properly.

The defending world champion failed to advance past the quarter-finals, leaving his best possible finish 13th place.

He's struggled through the event with a fractured rib after being knocked of his bike during a training ride and woke up with a muscle spasm on his right side.

Drysdale says it's the first time he's had to withdraw from a regatta and is not an ideal start to the new Olympic cycle.

However he will stay in Korea for the remainder of the world championships to support the New Zealand team.