By Alison Wildey

LONDON (Reuters) - At 37 years of age, the old man of the decathlon Roman Sebrle is not ready to put his feet up despite pulling out of the Olympic competition due to injury on Wednesday.

"Hopefully, I will be more healthy next year. Next year is my last year. I will try to compete in the world championships," the 2004 Olympic champion and former world record holder told reporters.

Sebrle was the slowest of the decathletes in the opening discipline, the 100 meters, after a heel injury flared up.

His time of 11.54 was over a second down on American title favorite Ashton Eaton (10.35), who broke Sebrle's world record in June.

"I could not run for the past 14 days," Sebrle said.

"But I expected it would be better in the Olympics because always in the Olympics you hope until last moment.

"The 100 meters was okay with the pain but not with the time," he added. "For the long jump, I couldn't run."

Sebrle, who has won every major title in the event, had six years on the next oldest competitor in the decathlon - Kazakhstan's Dmitry Karpov - and 13 on Eaton.

His longevity in an event that incorporates sprints, throws, and jumps before finishing with the decathletes dragging their weary bodies around the track for 1,500 meters, is remarkable.

Sebrle's world mark of 9,026 stood for 11 years until Eaton increased it by 13 points.

"It's really good," Sebrle said of the 24-year-old's record.

"The difference in his record and my record is just one centimeter in high jump. It's unbelievable.

"Of course I had the world record for 11 years. I won the Europeans and the worlds and Olympics and now it is time for another man," he added.

"I think he may put more points than 9,039 - but not today."

Asked what the highlight of his illustrious career was, Sebrle answered: "I have many memories. Of course I enjoyed my world record. When I ran the last meters and I saw the time it was a really good feeling.

"Second one, is I won the Olympic games in Athens. It was perfect and I enjoyed it."

(Additional reporting by Gene Cherry, editing by Ed Osmond)