THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments (our mid-season look at NCAA recruiting is featured elsewhere in this issue):
Sprinter Marvin Bracy-Williams, already serving a 45-month doping ban, has signed with the Enhanced Games.
That hot Millrose 2M took a hit when Grant Fisher scratched at the last moment because of illness. Fisher, by the way, is planning his road debut at the New York City Half-Marathon on March 15.
Grant Holloway, hoping to revitalize his hurdling career, is focusing only on flat sprints this indoor season.
Japanese marathoner Ai Hosoda (PR 2:20:31) will retire at the end of March.
Long troubles with an Achilles have continued for Jakob Ingebrigtsen. In the first week of February he revealed the tendon was operated on in the U.S. The surgery, he reported, “went smoothly” and was “absolutely the right thing for the longevity of my career.”
After 2 years of training in Florida, Marcell Jacobs has reunited in Italy with Paolo Camossi, who guided him to the ’21 Olympic 100 gold. He will not be competing this indoor season.
Fred Kerley, ostensibly near the end of his track career with his Enhanced Games signing, has one less burden, as domestic violence charges against him have been dismissed.
Weini Kelati, American Record holder for the half-marathon, says she is planning her full 26-mile debut this year, race to be determined.
Ugandan star Jacob Kiplimo says that he will likely run the London Marathon.
Out of sight most of the last two years, Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen, 28, says she’s not done. “My best years are still ahead of me. It wasn’t always easy, but I’ve learned that you need time to accept setbacks and learn from them.”
Kenyan Albert Korir, winner of the ’21 New York Marathon, has been provisionally suspended for EPO by the AIU.
A provisional suspension has been put upon retired Bulgarian sprinter Ivet Lalova-Collio. A retested sample from 2016 showed the presence of the muscle-builder Ostarine.
Former WR holder Renaud Lavillenie, still suffering the effects of a tendon injury from the Worlds in Tokyo, will not vault this indoor season.
Ireland’s Ciara Mageean, who announced her cancer diagnosis last year, has finished her first full round of chemotherapy. She reports, “I still have a long road ahead but for now I’m continuing to find the joy in every day.”
Duke/Washington alum Amina Maatoug was set to be Netherlands’ sole representative at the World XC, but her flight from Amsterdam was snowed in.
No ’26 season for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who announced that she is expecting her first child.
Canadian vaulter Alysha Newman has been provisionally suspended by AIU for whereabouts violations.
Chris Nilsen was sidelined from the first meet of Euro indoor tour by a case of food poisoning.
Narve Gilje Nordås missed the Norwegian Championships after being hit with chicken pox. “When you’re an adult, it hits you a lot harder,” he says. “It’s not just scaremongering. I can’t remember being so sick in my entire life.” He was bedridden for 6 days, and estimates he lost the equivalent of 6 weeks of training.
A 3-time NCAA pentathlon champion for Notre Dame, Jadin O’Brien will be representing the U.S. on its bobsled team at the upcoming Winter Olympics.
British Olympic sprinter Reece Prescod, who retired last August, has signed with the Enhanced Games.
British long jumper Jazmin Sawyers will miss the indoor season as she recovers from an eye infection.
World Indoor heptathlon champion Sander Skotheim has ended his season with an ankle injury that required surgery. “It is what it is,” the Norwegian star says.
Czech shot ace Tomáš Staněk is missing indoors because of planned surgery on his elbow.
Nafi Thiam will not participate in the World Indoor, as her best “qualifying” mark is from the Paris Olympics heptathlon, and that expires in February.
Top-rated hurdler Cordell Tinch says he will focus on the long jump for the rest of the indoor season.
Dutch hurdler Nadine Visser has postponed her season after picking up an injury at her South African training camp.
Roisin Willis has left some Stanford eligibility behind to turn pro.
Prep long-dash phenom Quincy Wilson missed Millrose with an unspecified illness.
Doping Bans…
4 years — Benard Kibet (Kenya, distance)
5 years — Mercyline Chelangat (Kenya, distance), Brian Limo (Kenya, distance). □
