THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:
USATF 800 champ Nia Akins got a late start to her season after suffering a concussion in a hit-and-run accident over the winter.
The USATF heats marked the last career race for Olympic hurdler Freddie Crittenden, 32: “After I crossed the finish line, it was just like, ‘Well, that was slow.’ But also, it was like, ‘Well, it’s been a beautiful ride, an amazing ride, and I’m glad I got to finish it here.’”
After just 3 meets shot WR holder Ryan Crouser announced that his season was over, as he is set for elbow surgery: “So unfortunately, my season is done. It kinda sucks to officially say that. I snapped off the tip of my olecranon [a bone that’s part of the ulnar structure] and they have to go in and remove that.”
Washington alum Cass Elliott (PRs 1:45.67 & 49.13) became eligible to represent Austria on July 14.
Road runner Annie Frisbie is dealing with injury issues: “What I thought was tendinitis turned out to be a stress fracture in my tibia. This one hurts [mentally and physically)] as it feels like it came out of nowhere.”
A nagging calf injury has troubled steepler Lexi Halladay-Lowry this season.
A foot injury derailed Sage Hurta-Klecker for a month or so.
Reggie Jagers was involved in a car accident a week before his runner-up finish in the USATF discus.
Sinclaire Johnson got a stress reaction in her sacrum around the time of the USATF Indoor: “The last couple months, I’ve been quietly dealing with an injury, But, so happy to be healthy & building back now.”
Dani Jones had to miss some training time after a mid-race “misstep” led to a small injury.
Noah Lyles cramped in the USATF 200 final and finished last. He described it as a “grabbing sensation” in his left hamstring. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, there’s no reason to keep pushing that.’ So I just decided to cut it off. To be honest, it’s just a cramp.”
An ankle injury kept Brandon Miller from competing in the USATF 800.
NC State steepler Angelina Napoleon dealt with Achilles issues all season and is now focusing on cross country.
Kansas prep Maria Portela, who placed 3rd in the USATF Junior 200, will be representing Spain internationally.
Taylor Roe has torn her flexor hallucis longus tendon and undergone surgery. “What I thought was a little pop in my toe turned out to not be so innocent.”
Habtom Samuel has decided to skip his final year of eligibility at New Mexico. The 5-time NCAA champ from Eritrea has signed with HOKA.
Amir Thompson, an NCAA Indoor 200 finalist for Arizona State and a dual citizen, has chosen to represent Barbados internationally. He is the son of noted sprinters Obadele Thompson and Marion Jones.
Washington high schooler Yevhen Zhmailo, the Nike Nationals triple jump champ (and ’25 USATF U20 champ) has opted to represent Ukraine internationally.
On The International Front:
Hurdle WR holder Tobi Amusan revealed that she injured a knee in a training fall prior to the Commonwealth Games, where she hurdled to bronze.
New Zealand discus thrower Connor Bell, twice a WC top-10 finisher, is retiring.
French hurdler Wilhem Belocian will miss the rest of the season because of injury.
Reigning Commonwealth long jump champion Ese Brume of Nigeria withdrew from this year’s competition with injury.
Britain’s Max Burgin confirmed he picked up an Achilles injury after his 800 win in Rabat.
Long sprinter Lisanne De Witte, a mainstay of the Netherlands’ powerful 4×4 program, has announced that this is her last season.
Currently serving a 5-year doping ban, Brazilian Olympic marathoner Daniel do Nascimento disappeared from his hometown recently. A month later, his mother filed a missing person report, saying that he was suffering from mental health issues. Eventually he was found in São Paulo, saying that he had walked the 200+ miles.
Belgium’s Alexander Doom has decided his hamstring is not ready for the Euro Champs: “Together with the medical team, we’ve made the decision not to take any unnecessary risks. It’s frustrating, but it’s the smartest choice for the long term.”
Mondo Duplantis withdrew from the London DL near the end of the competition. His agent later said, “Nothing in the hamstring. Felt some tension in his groin area. Could have continued but his physiotherapist was of the opinion not to push. Now he has good two weeks without competition so he will be fine.”
Slovenia’s Anže Durjava injured himself with a javelin in a training session mishap and was hospitalized in serious condition.
Versatile Swiss Simon Ehammer tweaked a hamstring while long jumping in Monaco.
Poland’s Sofia Ennaoui has retired at age 30. She was 5th in the ’22 Worlds 1500.
Phoebe Gill bypassed the London DL 800 so she could take care of a “lingering niggle” in her knee and focus on the World U20s.
Keely Hodgkinson took a bad fall on a cooldown in July, bloodying both knees and leading to some lingering soreness. At Prefontaine, she competed with knees taped.
Georgia Hunter Bell had to miss the London DL, explaining, “I picked up a nasty cold on the long-haul travel to Eugene which 2 weeks later I still haven’t been able to shake.”
Faith Kipyegon says she has been dealing with hamstring issues since May.
After a July 5000 in 16:02, Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen has decided to not race on the track anymore this year and will instead focus on roads as she continues to recover from a series of injuries.
Niels Laros has ended his season because of his Achilles: “After last year’s World Championships and a long recovery, we were hopeful the injury was under control, but unfortunately that’s not the case. My team and I will make a plan from here. For now, a bit more work on the bike and prioritizing recovery.”
A stress fracture in her foot forced Eilish McColgan out of the Commonwealth 10,000.
Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, the ’25 Euro
XC gold medalist, will miss the European track championships because of injury.
Triple jumper Ana Peleteiro-Compaoré has returned to training just 13 days after giving birth to her second child.
Swedish long jumper Khaddi Sagnia has ended her season. Her season-long back problems turned out to be a herniated disc.
Hurdler Cyrena Samba-Mayela missed the French championships because of inflammation of her Achilles and calf.
The British recordholder in the 100H, Cindy Sember (née Ofili when she competed in the States, has announced her retirement at age 31. She last competed in ’24.
Justyna Święty-Ersetic of Poland has ended her season to focus on her health, but clarifies, “I believe that this is not a goodbye, but merely a pause.”
A finalist in the Tokyo 400H last fall, Naomi Van der Broeck has torn a ligament in her left ankle and is done for the season.
French hurdler Sasha Zhoya has confirmed that he will not compete this summer, as he continues to recover from injury. □
