WORLD triple jump record holder Jonathan Edwards said yesterday it was with "great difficulty" that he had decided to miss next week's Spar European Cup on his home track at Gateshead International Stadium.

But the 34-year-old adopted Tynesider wants to concentrate on his preparations for the Olympic Games after a rock-bottom performance in Rome last Friday night when he could only finish fourth.

Edwards explained: "It was with great difficulty that I made the decision to miss this year's European Cup, especially as it is taking place on my home track of Gateshead Stadium.

"I have competed in the previous seven competitions and I am well aware that I am missing a unique event within the athletics year.

"The fact that the British men's team are returning to the scene of their outstanding 1989 triumph only increases my sense of loss, as I was not part of the team on that occasion either.

"Nevertheless my initial compeitive performances in Bergen and Rome have not done justice to my winter's preparation, and this is a situation that I need to address with the utmost urgency."

"To this end I have decided to travel to Israel for a training camp with my fellow triple jumper, Rogel Nahum and I believe this course of action, rather than competing at Gateshead, will better serve me in my pursuit of Olympic gold."

He added: "I offer my sincere apologies to the team, managers and members alike if my absence in any way diminishes our chances of success."

Edwards was only a pale shadow of his former self in the IAAf Golden League meeting in Rome, where he competed against four of the world's top five triple jumpers from last year.

As World Championships silver-medallist Rotislav Dimitrov, of Bulgaria, won with an opening round leap of 17.25m, Edwards stuttered to a best final jump of 16.81m.

Edwards' place at Gateshead will be taken by Shaftsbury Barnet's reigning Commonwealth champion, Larry Achike, who won the Australian Championship in February and recorded a season's best 16.78m in Norway last week.

Tynesider Jared Deacon, who competes for Morpeth Harriers, is named in the Great Britain men's 4 x 400m relay squad.