Cottbus  - German gold medal hope Irina Mikitenko on Saturday cancelled her appearance in the world championship marathon in the wake of her father's death.

"Her father died two weeks ago and she has not been able to train properly since then. We are very, very sad," said Juergen Mallow, the sports director of the German athletics federation.

Mikitenko won the last two London Marathons and had had hoped for a gold at the home worlds, with the marathon scheduled to take place on her 37th birthday August 22. (dpa)