Peter Bol's preparations for the Olympic Games have hit an early hurdle because of injury.
The middle-distance runner had planned to return to racing in Australia on Saturday night for the first time since his provisional doping ban was lifted.
But Bol has now pulled out of running at the Adelaide Invitational on Saturday night and again in Melbourne next Thursday night.
"Due to an unfortunate injury, I have had to make the difficult decision to delay the start of my Australian season,” he wrote on Instagram.
“I will not be participating in the upcoming races in Adelaide and Melbourne.
“I am still running and training but cannot push myself too hard at the moment.
“My priority at the moment is to focus on rehab and ensuring that my body is in optimal condition.”
Bol, a finalist in the 800m at the Tokyo Games of 2021, had been scheduled ro race in 1500m events in Adelaide and Melbourne.
The 29-year-old is targeting a berth at this year's Paris Olympics in his favoured 800m event.
Bol has not raced in his home country since his provisional doping ban for an elevated level of EPO was lifted in February last year, after his reading was found to be atypical.
A Sport Integrity Australia investigation was wound up in July, with Bol maintaining his innocence.
He then failed to advance from the 800m heats at the world championships in Budapest in August.
Bol made his Olympic debut in 2016 and shot to prominence at the Tokyo Games, where he twice broke the national 800m record and finished fourth in the final, the best result by an Australian in the event in 53 years.
