Triple jumper Nathan Douglas was forced to postpone his bid for a medal after a violent electrical storm disrupted the World Championships in Helsinki.
The heavens opened shortly after 6.45pm local time and forced the athletes off the flooded track for almost two hours.
The delay forced organisers to cancel the scheduled triple jump qualifying, the quarterfinals of the men's 200metres featuring Coventry's Marlon Devonish and Christian Malcolm, and the women's discus final.
The first two events were pushed back until today and the discus rescheduled for tomorrow.
It could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Douglas, however, whose coach Ted King has been lying in a Helsinki hospital since the early hours of Sunday morning.
King, whom Douglas credits for his sudden improvement to third in the world rankings this season, was taken ill with an inner-ear infection but has been steadily improving and could be released in time to see the 22-year-old Oxford athlete compete.
