THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:
Devon Allen has begun running again, 5 months after an ACL tear hiccuped his hurdle training. He hopes to start racing soon.
Trayvon Bromell pulled up while racing the 100 in Savona, Italy. On Instagram, he didn’t seem too worried: “Been down this road before. We pick up and move.”
Olympic steeple silver medalist Courtney Frerichs is out for the season with multiple knee problems (see “Last Lap”).
Emily Infeld missed some training recently with Achilles problems.
Versatile sprinter Shawnti Jackson has not been able to compete since the indoor season. The Arkansas frosh says, “The training part — it didn’t go as I would like it to go — the form I’ve been running this season, but it’s just an adjustment. I’ve been coached by my Dad for like 18 years, so now going out of my comfort zone just takes a little adjusting. On top of getting injured — I’m still trying to recover from that.”
Citing unspecified injury concerns, Fred Kerley withdrew from the Stockholm DL.
Mississippi’s Jasmine Mitchell has been dealing with a foot injury all season, winning the SEC hammer despite that. “I went in there and did what I had to do,” she says.
Athing Mu withdrew from the Pre 800, citing left hamstring soreness.
Distance ace Joe Klecker will not be competing at the OT. He lost training time due to a torn adductor earlier in the year and says, “My fitness is not where it needs to be.”
The early-season world 100 leader at 9.77, Tennessee’s Jacious Sears pulled up with hamstring trouble in the SEC and withdrew from the East Regional.
Katelyn Tuohy has been dealing with hamstring issues since winter. Reportedly she has returned to training but her agent, Ray Flynn, suggests she won’t be ready in time for the Trials.
On The International Front…
Javelin thrower Yulenmis Aguilar, formerly of Cuba, has been cleared to compete for Spain at the European Championships. The 27-year-old has a best of 210-6 (64.17).
Jamaican star Akeem Bloomfield has retired at 27. The ’18 NCAA runner-up at 400 has twice won World silvers on the Jamaican 4×4, but has been dogged by injuries.
12.78 hurdler Evonne Britton has been approved to switch her nationality from the United States to Ghana.
Swiss sprinter Ajla Del Ponte will miss the European Championships after tearing a thigh muscle.
Norwegian vaulter Sondre Guttormsen will miss several meets, including the European Championships, because of an overuse injury. “I have a good chance of being injury-free and getting fit for the Olympics, but I don’t have time for any missteps along the way.”
Hamstring trouble hampered NCAA Indoor 60/200 champ Terrence Jones during the outdoor season, though the Bahamian may see relay duty for Texas Tech at Nationals.
A “small muscle problem” set back training for Faith Kipyegon , so she withdrew from Pre.
Dominic Lobalu, formerly of South Sudan, will be eligible to represent Switzerland at the Euros and Olympics. He has PRs of 12:52.15 and 27:36.29.
Biniam Mehary of Ethiopia, the indoor World Junior indoor 1500 recordholder at 1500 at 3:34.83, withdrew from the Doha DL with injury.
Not planning to rush her recovery from Achilles injury, Yulimar Rojas says, “I don’t think about when I’m going to recover, but about how. I want to be completely healthy, I want to return to the track and not relapse. I want to recover step by step, slowly but surely, and think about next year. It will be a very important year for me.”
Hurdler Abderrahmane Samba withdrew from the Doha Diamond League because of an injury.
Anthonique Strachan, 6th in the Budapest 200 for Bahamas, has ended her season because of injury.
Czechia’s former World Junior decathlon champ, Jiří Sýkora, is retiring from the multi because of injury issues. He plans to continue throwing.
Olympic high jump co-champ Gianmarco Tamberi missed Ostrava because of knee discomfort.
Estonian Decathlete Karel Tilga has withdrawn from the Euros after a slight knee injury. He is rehabbing with an eye toward competing in Paris.
European Indoor shot champion Zane Weir sprained his right ankle in training and has had to withdrew from several meets recently.
Former Michigan hurdler Joshua Zeller of Britain sustained a severe hamstring injury in a mid-race fall in Austria, and describes the injury as “season-ending.”
Doping Bans…
7 years — Josephine Chepkoech (Kenya, distance);
6 years — Rodgers Kwemoi (Kenya, distance);
4 years — Issam Asinga (Suriname, sprints); see “Last Lap. □