Josh Kerr has opted out of this weekend’s British Indoor Championships – and a potential shot at a European title in Glasgow next month.

The 21-year-old from Edinburgh, who remains unbeaten in 2019, will instead target victory in Saturday’s prestigious Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games in New York after coming second in his debut in the race last year.

With Capital club-mates and rivals Jake Wightman and Chris O’Hare absent from the 1500 metres in Birmingham, the door looked wide open for Kerr to underline his status as the event’s rising star.

But despite turning professional with the Seattle-based Brooks team, Kerr will stay Stateside rather than fly in.

“Sadly due to university classes I won’t be able to race UK trials this year so I will not be up for selection for Euro Indoors,” he said. “It is very annoying but it just doesn’t work sadly. I will be running Millrose Mile and the Birmingham Grand Prix though. I am fit and ready to go for those races coming up.”

Mhairi Hendry, a 800m semi-finalist at last year’s world indoor championships, has also withdrawn from Birmingham after a poor start to the year caused by illness. “After being unwell I just was not in the form I am capable of and that was evident from the Scottish Championships,” the Scot said.