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Cape Town - Team South Africa has been dealt a massive blow ahead of next month's IAAF World Championships in London with the news that javelin star Sunette Viljoen has pulled out with injury.
Viljoen, the silver medalist from last year's Rio Olympics, confirmed the news via her Twitter page on Friday.
The 33-year-old called it the "most difficult decision I have had to make", but did not specify what the injury was.
Viljoen also vowed that she would be back.
Earlier in the day, Team South Africa had added names to its squad in quite bizarre fashion.
Discus thrower Victor Hogan is back on the team while Rikenette Steenkamp, who narrowly missed out on the 100m hurdles IAAF qualifying criteria, was the other invited by the global body to participate in their specialist events after being selected to fill "quotas" in order to complete the fields in these respective disciplines.
Viljoen, meanwhile, won bronze at both the 2015 and 2011 World Champs.
This year's event will take place from August 4-13.
The most difficult decision I've had to make is to withdraw from @London2017. An injury leaves me no choice. Believe me, I'll be back!!!
— Sunette Viljoen (@Sunette_Viljoen) July 28, 2017
