Two British athletes forced to withdraw from Youth Olympic Games

 MODERN pentathlete Kerry Prise and gymnast Laura Mitchell have both been forced to withdraw from this month's inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore with injury.

The withdrawal of Aberdeen's Prise means that Greg Longden will be Great Britain's sole modern pentathlon representative in the Far East.

Mitchell, meanwhile, has been replaced in the artistic gymnastics squad by Cardiff's Jessica Hogg, ensuring Great Britain still have three representatives in that sport.

With two athletes withdrawing and one replacement being called up, Great Britain's squad is now 39-strong, notably down on the 100 spots available to them.

British Olympic Association chief executive Andy Hunt has been quick to defend the size of the squad however, insisting there has not been a lack of interest from the various sports' national governing bodies.