Paris, July 4 (IANS) Jamaica’s 400 metres national champion Javon Francis has withdrawn from the Paris Diamond League meet which is being held at the Stade de France here.

With the World Championships in Beijing from August 22 to 30, Francis, a member of the Jamaican squad having won the 4x400m relay in Moscow two years ago, opted on Friday to skip the eighth event of the 14-stop series as a precaution against injury, reports Xinhua.

Another Jamaican Edino Steele will fit in Francis’ shoes while their countryman Usain Bolt, a double record holder and reigning Olympic and World Champion, has been forced out of the 100m sprint due to a discomfort in his left leg.

Francis was previously expected to line-up against Olympic gold medallist Kirani James, United States’ champion David Verburg and Jamaica’s second-placed 400m runner Rusheen McDonald in Saturday evening’s race.