Heidler rules out Beijing worlds appearance

Hammer world-record holder Betty Heidler has said she will not appear at the 2015 world championships in Beijing, three months after failing to qualify for the worlds final in Moscow. The 30-year-old, who threw the world record of 79.42 metres in May 2011, failed to qualify for the hammer final at August's world athletics championships, finishing 18th in the qualification round in Moscow. She has called time on any future appearances at world championships. "I still have no firm date for when I will retire, I think about things from year to year, but I won't be competing at a world championships again," Heidler told website leichtathletik.de. "It's a personal decision, from deep down, and I wouldn't want to discuss it further." Having won gold at the 2007 world athletics championships in Osaka, Japan, Heidler won world silvers at both Berlin in 2009 and Daegu in 2011, as well as a bronze at the 2012 London Olympic Games. While she may be in the autumn of her career, the 1.75m-tall German is interested in attacking her own world record. "Our top priority is still the dream of breaking 80 metres," she said. Currently nursing a knee injury, Heidler hopes to be back in normal training in two to three weeks before she goes for warm-weather training in South Africa in early 2014. Frankfurt-based Heidler has not ruled out an appearance at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin -- in whatever capacity. "I want to be there definitely, no question, but as what, I can't say at the moment," she said. "Perhaps I'll compete, perhaps I'll be a spectator, or as a helper or as a co-commentator on television."