THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:
Oregon’s 3:55 miler Elliott Cook lost much of his indoor season to a hip injury.
Courtney Frerichs, AR holder in the steeple, is still working her way back from injury. She’s now being coached by BYU’s Ed Eyestone.
NC State’s Grace Hartman made All-America in both the 5000 and 3000 despite dealing with a bronchial infection for several weeks.
Former NCAA 5K champ Elly Henes suffered another setback with a second episode of pneumothorax (collapsed lung). Fortunately, this time she did not require surgery.
Marathoner Jordan Hogan (nee Hasay) has delivered her first child. She has not raced since ’23.
Last year’s NCAA 7th-placer in the long jump, Goodness Iredia (a South Florida Nigerian), now is serving a 3-year ban after testing positive at a Louisville meet, the AIU announced.
Arkansas sprinter Shawnti Jackson has accepted a public warning from USADA for failing to get a therapeutic use exemption prior to getting an iron infusion while under the care of a physician.
Swede Axelina Johansson missed the World Indoors because of visa issues, but did win the NCAA for Nebraska.
Florida sprinter Wanya McCoy had to skip the NCAA Indoor after getting hurt in the SEC 200 final.
Jenoah McKiver wasn’t able to race for Florida at the NCAA because of a lower back injury.
On The International Front…
Belgium’s Bashir Abdi has injured his ankle, causing him to withdraw from the Rotterdam Marathon and focus on the Worlds.
Nigerian long jumper Ese Brume is still recovering from injuries suffered in a car crash, primarily a strained neck and sprained ankle. “I have started light workout here, but I am yet to commence full training,” she says.
A foot injury kept Italian sprinter Andrea Dallavalle out of the World Indoors.
Letesenbet Gidey, the ’22 world 10K champion, has given birth to a son.
A thigh injury is keeping Italian sprinter Marcell Jacobs from some of the early-season outdoor meets he had planned.
Kibiwot Kandie, former WR holder for the half marathon, is now serving a provisional suspension for evading, refusing or failing to submit a sample. That scratched him from the Barcelona Marathon.
Coming back from a 4-year doping ban, South African long jumper Luvo Manyonga has been derailed by injury. “I pulled a little bit of niggle and it is something I’m working on now… I will be fine,” he says.
Briton George Mills got sick after winning the 3000 silver at the European Indoor, and had to miss the Worlds.
Two days before winning the World Indoor vault, Angelica Moser hut her left foot, a “significant partial tear of two of the three lateral ligaments.” It will not require surgery, but the Swiss standout has to keep weight off it for a few weeks.
British hurdler Cindy Sember has announced that she is taking ’25 off, saying she needs a break from the sport.
Belgian Michael Somers, a 2:08:09 marathoner, is retiring at age 30 because of heart problems.
Last year’s Olympic 100 silver medalist, Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson had to miss the World Indoors with what is described as a slight ankle injury.
Jessica Warner-Judd says that instead of moving up to the marathon, she is focusing her final season on the track, with an aim to making Britain’s Tokyo team. Of her diagnosis last year with epilepsy, she says, “I want to finish my track career on my terms, not epilepsy’s.”
Doping Bans…
5 years — Brimin Misoi (Kenya, distance);
4 years — Ouassim Oumaiz (Spain, distance);
3 years — Goodness Iredia (Nigeria, jumps);
2 years, 6 months — Sultan Haydar (Türkie, marathon). □
