VICTORIA (CP) -- Middle distance runner Robyn Meagher has withdrawn from the Canadian track and field championship this weekend due to injury and will not be able to compete in the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia next month.

 The Victoria runner, who competed in the 5,000 metres at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, suffered an injury in June to her sacroiliac, which is a joint at the back of the pelvis. The injury has interfered with her training.

 "I feel that it's in the best interest of my health not to continue with my season," said Meagher. "I've been pushing to try and come back from a back injury and I feel like my body needs to rest and heal and recover.

 "I may be able to will myself to achieve the performance I need to go to the Olympics, but I don't feel that is in the best interest of my health and obviously that's more important to me."

 Meagher, 33, won a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games in 1994, when she and teammate Angela Chalmers finished 1-2 in the 3,000 metres.

 She finished 10th in her 1,500-metre heat at the world championship in 1999 and didn't reach the final. Leah Pells is Canada's top-ranked runner in that distance.

 "I don't intend to finish my career on an injury note," said Meagher. "But I'm taking a break for now."

 The national track championship, which also serves as a qualifier for Sydney, has been hit with several withdrawals recently.

 Donovan Bailey, the 1996 gold medallist in the 100 metres, suffered a slight tear in his hamstring two weeks ago in Sweden. He has resumed light training and expects to be ready for Sydney, but won't be able to race this weekend in Victoria.

 Canada's No. 1 female sprinter, Philomena Mensah is battling a leg injury. The Surrey, B.C., native hasn't trained for a month, is doubtful for the trials and questionable even for Sydney.

 Her relay teammate Martha Adusei is suffering from a pulled hamstring and had Canadian citizenship issues to sort out before she could run for Canada in Sydney.

 Mensah ran the second leg and Adusei the anchor for the women's 4x100 team that was sixth in the world championship in 1999.

 Both women, have achieved the Olympic qualifying standard, but if they don't run at the national championship, Mensah and Adusei could appeal because of their injuries to be added to the Olympic team. That's providing Adusei gets her citizenship situation sorted out.

 Mark Boswell of Brampton, Ont., a world silver medallist in high jump, is planning to compete at the trials but is suffering from a sore ankle.