McIlroy calls it a day

Northern Irish 800 metres runner James McIlroy has announced his retirement from international athletics because of financial reasons.

After a dip in form McIlroy has been excluded from the UK Athletics World Class Performance funding for the last two years and also receives no free medical support.

“Ideally, it would have been nice to continue through to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi but every sportsperson comes to this crossroads,” said 31-year-old McIlroy.