Koji Murofushi pulled out of the Asian Games

DOHA, Dec 1 (Reuters) Olympic hammer champion Koji Murofushi has pulled out of the Asian Games because of injury, dashing his hopes of completing a hat-trick of gold medals, the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) said today.

The 32-year-old, who won the hammer titles at the two previous games in Bangkok and Pusan before claiming the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, tore the calf muscle in his right leg, said a JOC statement.

Among the best known Asian track and field athletes, Murofushi has continued a family tradition in the hammer after his father Shigenobu swept to five straight Asian Games gold medals between 1970 and 1986.

His withdrawal comes a day after Qatar's world champion steeplechaser Saif Saaeed Shaheen pulled out of the Games with an Achilles injury.

Reuters