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Idowu takes break from sport

Phillips Idowu could be heading towards retirement © Getty Images

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Former world champion Phillips Idowu has decided to take a break from the triple jump "for the foreseeable future".

Idowu, who won the world title in Germany in 2011, announced on Wednesday that he will not compete in this weekend's British Trials & Championships or next month's World Championships in Moscow, preferring instead to take a break from the sport.

The 34-year-old has only competed once since the Olympic Games in London - where he was eliminated from the competition before the final after a build-up dogged by controversy and confusion.

'After some careful consideration I have decided that for the foreseeable future I will be taking a step back from athletics," Idowu said in a statement. "I feel this is the right time for me to make this decision and it's not a choice I've made lightly.

"I greatly appreciate all of the support I have received over the past years, particularly from the British public and my team and sponsors; it has been an extremely happy and successful time.

"I'm excited about pursuing other interests and taking other opportunities that present themselves to me during this break."

Idowu has had an eventful career. Initially in the shadow of world record holder Jonathan Edwards, the Londoner went on to win a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics, before stepping up and taking gold at the World Championships a year later.

A silver while trying to defend his title two years later in Daegu followed - before the disaster of his home Olympics, where he fell out with Team GB chief Charles van Commenee in the build-up and even went missing in the days leading up to his first round exit.

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