HERE’S THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:
A high-end choice for OT marathon success, Amy Cragg withdrew, citing illness—apparently the flu combined with overtraining syndrome.
Last year’s No. 1 High School 400 All-America Kayla Davis, who didn’t represent her school last year, has transferred to Hough of Charlotte, North Carolina and will be a member of the team.
Following her transfer from Georgia to Texas last year, hurdle/long jump star Tara Davis tweeted in January that she had a broken foot…
Brit long hurdler Eilidh Doyle gave birth in late January, but she plans to return to action before the Olympics.
As if he doesn’t have enough problems elsewhere, Mo Farah withdrew from a March half-marathon duel with Kenenisa Bekele, citing a minor Achilles injury.
Sweden’s Robel Fsiha has been provisionally suspended after a positive test in Ethiopia a month before he won the Euro cross country title.
Heptathlete Allison Halverson now has an Armenian passport, but WA still needs to sign off on her transfer of allegiance. As Allison Reaser she was the ’14 NCAA runner-up for San Diego State.
British hammer thrower Sophie Hitchon struggled with a technique change last year. Now she is back to her old style, but the switch was complicated by an appendectomy late last year.
Norway’s Filip Ingebrigtsen ended his indoor season early, but he’s not injured like his younger brother Jakob. Rather, doctors said the child he and his wife are expecting may be arriving sooner than expected.
Kenyan marathoner Rita Jeptoo is back to full training following the end of her 4-year doping ban last fall.
A groin injury ended the indoor season of British sprinter Richard Kilty.
Many-time national champ Erik Kynard won the USATF Indoor high jump in his first season back since he last competed in June ’18. He says, “600 days ago I was in a pool of uncertainty. I ruptured my left Achilles. I didn’t know if I’d ever tie this shoe again.”
Injury-shortened indoor seasons for two Polish vertical-jump stars: high jumper Kamila Lićwinko with a minor calf injury, vaulter Piotr Lisek after a minor hip injury.
Elijah Manangoi is progressing well in training after missing the WC with an ankle injury. “The injury messed me up but injuries are part of sports,” says the ’17 World champ at 1500. “I have since shaken it off.”
Decathlon WR holder Kevin Mayer has reported some Achilles issues this winter.
Katie Nageotte trained through the indoor season, competing only at the PV Summit and that 14-5¼ (4.40) from a short runup.
Hellen Obiri, Kenya’s reigning world 5000 champ, injured her back in a cross country race in January. She says, “Of course my dream is to be fit for the Olympics. That is why I have taken a deliberate decision to stay away from competition and give my body the chance to recuperate. I don’t want to exert any undue pressure on my back to aggravate the right hamstring.”
German 800 revelation Marc Reuther (1:45.39 PR in February) fell in the Liévin WIT and broke his elbow.
Katrina Robinson—the Australian Junior 3000 recordholder—has left Arkansas and returned down under. Plagued with injuries, she hasn’t raced since the ’18 NCAA cross country. But, she says, “I have learnt so much from this experience and I wouldn’t change a second of it.”
Perri Shakes-Drayton, who ran on WC medal-winning British 4x4s indoors and out, has retired at age 31.
Jamaica’s Sherone Simpson, a 10.82 performer who struck gold in ’04 as part of Jamaica’s 4×1, has retired at age 35.
Training through a right knee injury that occurred in January led to a left foot injury that rendered Parker Stinson unable to run the OT Marathon.
Oregon miler James West, listed as a senior last year, still has a season of eligibility, indoors and out.
Texas miler Sam Worley fractured his right tibia while racing at the Husky Classic. No word on how long he will be out.
Wayde van Niekerk, sidelined by knee woes since late ’17, is finally racing again. “It’s good to be back running,” said the 400 WR holder, after winning a pair of altitude-aided sprints in 10.10 and 20.31.
Doping Bans:
8 years—Olesya Sviridova (Russia, shot);
4 years—Abdulrahman Musaeb Balla (Qatar, 800), Sarah Chepchirchir (Kenya, distance), Mark Dry (Great Britain, hammer), Abderrahim Kachir (Morocco, distance), Abraham Kiptum (Kenya, distance), Anna Nazarova (Russia, long jump), Cyrus Rutto (Kenya, 5000), Inderjeet Singh (India, shot), Sofiane Selmouni (France, 1500). □
