Injuries force Regina long-distance runner Simon Bairu to retire

Saskatchewan's Simon Bairu of the University of Wisconsin celebrates as he approaches the finish line at the men's NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., Monday, Nov. 22, 2004. Bairu won with a time of 30:37.7. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

OTTAWA - Injuries have forced Canadian distance runner Simon Bairu to retire.

The 31-year-old from Regina is the Canadian record-holder in the 10,000 metres and has won three national 10-K titles on the road.

Bairu was a cross-country standout at the University of Wisconsin, then went on to win seven national cross-country titles. He also finished 12th at the 2010 world cross-country championships -- one of the best results ever by a Canadian.

"After dealing with constant injuries I decided it was time to move on," Bairu said in a statement.

Bairu, who grew up in Saskatchewan after arriving as a Saudi Arabian refugee with his family as a young boy, was pegged as a future Canadian marathon star. But injuries continued to derail his attempts at the 42.195-kilometre distance.

Bairu has accepted a sports marketing job with Nike.