SOPOT, Poland -- U.S. Women’s 1500m Champion Mary Cain (Bronxville, N.Y.) has withdrawn from the IAAF World Indoor Track & Field Championships due to injury, USATF announced Monday.

“Unfortunately I will not be able to travel to the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot,” Cain said in a statement. “Over the past week, I developed a discomfort in my lower calf. I had an MRI scan on Saturday and it was all clear,  but I still feel the pain when I wear spikes and have decided not to risk making it worse in Poland. I hope to be able to run in the World Indoor Championships many times in the future. I wish all my fellow USA athletes the best and hope they bring home lots of medals from Poland.”

Competition begins Friday in Sopot’s Ergo Arena.

Heather Kampf (Minneapolis, Minn.), the alternate for the event after placing third at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Albuquerque, will compete in Cain’s place in the women’s 1,500. First round begins Friday, March 7 at 1:35 p.m. ET.