Malaria forces Jairus Kipchoge Birech withdrawal

A bout of malaria has forced Jairus Kipchoge Birech to pull out of this weekend's Diamond League meeting in London.

The Kenyan, who is currently the leader of the men's Diamond League series 3,000m steeplechase, recently recorded victories in Shanghai, Oslo and Paris.

Despite his withdrawal for the event at the Olympic Stadium, the 22-year-old has insisted that he should be fit for next month's World Athletics Championships.

"I need your prayers since I am down with malaria and that is why I am not competing in London. I wish all Kenyan steeplechasers the best in the race. I hope to be ready for Beijing," he said in a statement.

Birech won a silver medal at last year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.