Athlete Rawlinson in doubt for worlds over injury

Australian Jana Pittman-Rawlinson's bid for a third world 400-metres hurdles crown next month is in doubt because of a back injury, her coach said on Thursday.

Pittman-Rawlinson, 26, who has recently returned to competition after a year-long layoff due to complications from a toe injury that forced her out of last year's Beijing Olympics, has been diagnosed with a bulging disc.

She has pulled out of this weekend's London grand prix meet and is running out of time to be ready for the August 15-23 world championships in Berlin.

"We'll see what happens in the next few days," her coach, Craig Hilliard, told the Australian Associated Press.

"If she's back running pain-free and it does settle down then we'll look at forging ahead.

"But if it's still hanging around then time is starting to impinge."

The defending 400m hurdles champion is bidding to become the first Australian to win three world titles.

Pittman-Rawlinson won the 400m hurdles at the 2003 Paris world championships and four years later in Osaka, Japan.