Holmes, who won the 800 and 1,500 metres in Athens last year, missed the British trials two weeks ago and had been hoping to run the 1,000 metres at the London [Images] Grand Prix meeting on Friday.

"For the past week I have been doing everything to get over my Achilles problem," she said on Wednesday. "I've been getting intense physio but last night's training session proved to me that I just can't race on it.

"I am bitterly disappointed," she was quoted as saying on the website of athletics world ruling body, the IAAF.

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Holmes won a silver in the 800 metres at the last world championships and a silver at the 1995 worlds over 1,500 metres.

"Obviously this means I am out of the world championships, which is another big blow," she said.

"The only reason I am continuing to train is to race in front of my home crowd one last time. All my focus is now on racing in Sheffield."

The meeting in Sheffield on August 21 will be Holmes' last British appearance before retirement.