THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:
Marathoner Emma Bates has been diagnosed with hemochromatosis, a disorder where the body absorbs and stores too much iron, causing damage to various organs, among other symptoms. “After pushing the feeling something was ‘off’ the majority of the year, I finally decided to figure out what was making me feel not so ME both mentally and physically.
“ I am slowly learning how to manage this disorder. I have still luckily been able to train, but we are being cautious and taking things day by day.” She placed 13th at Valencia in 2:25:51.
AOY Beatrice Chebet will not be competing in ’26, as she is pregnant: “Our hearts are full and can’t wait for this next chapter of life.”
AIU has given Uganda’s Mercy Chelangat a provisional suspension for testosterone.
Sprinter Shania Collins, who announced her retirement last year, has signed with the Enhanced Games.
Val Constien had to skip the USATF XC race after missing several weeks due to a viral infection.
As reported in “Last Lap” last month, Olympic silver medalist steepler Evan Jager has retired at age 36.
Swiss sprinter Mujinga Kambundji has announced the birth of a son. No word yet on her plans to return to competition.
Japan-based Kenyan agent Emmanuel Kipruto has been suspended indefinitely by the WA Athletes Representative Panel due to his non-compliance with a panel order following a dispute lodged by an agent.
AR-setting marathoner Conner Mantz withdrew from the USATF Cross Country because of injury.
Marathoner Scott Fauble, 34, who three times led Americans at the Boston Marathon, has announced the end of his pro running career.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen withdrew from the European XC, reportedly after a good fall training cycle. According to a Norwegian federation official, he intends “to focus fully on the 2026 season.”
Spain’s Mohamed Katir says he will come off his ban in ’28 at full-speed: “My commitment remains unwavering: I train every day with discipline, motivation, and absolute belief in my abilities. I am ready to return to competition at the highest level. My goal is clear: Los Angeles 2028.”
Polish vaulter Piotr Lisek gave mixed martial arts a whirl and was pummeled in his first fight. He says now he’s back to his more familiar hobby. “I’m safe and sound. If I had more time to prepare, things could have turned out differently. See you — now — in the pole vault.”
Liberia’s Emmanuel Matadi (PR 9.91) has signed with the Enhanced Games.
Whittni Morgan, 4th-placer in the World Indoor 3000 before missing the rest of the year, gave birth in December to a boy.
French heptathlete Solène Ndama, a multi bronze medalist at the ’19 Euro Indoor, has been given a 3-month ban for cannabis.
USC’s Eddie Osei-Nketia has switched nationalities from New Zealand to Australia, effective last month.
Euro TJ champion Ana Peleteiro-Compaoré will miss the coming season because of pregnancy.
Spain’s 1500 recordholder Marta Pérez will miss the ’26 campaign to start a family.
Marathoner Gabriella Rooker, 9th at Chicago last fall, underwent a myomectomy in December. “I don’t know what my recovery will look like,” she posted.
After two years of hurdle training in the U.S., Cyréna Samba-Mayela has returned home. “I want to reconnect with France. I never had the American dream,” said the Paris silver medalist. “For my physical preparation, I had some good things here that I left behind when I went to the United States. I wanted to have that balance between performance and a strong body. I suffered a serious injury this year. I’m doing much better. I have absolutely no after-effects, I’ve resumed training, and I don’t feel any pain. I even forget I was injured.”
Anna Svrček, the Japan-born world U18 steeple leader, has decided to represent Slovakia.
Gabby Thomas says that she will focus more on the 400 this season. “We have an off year. I think it’s a really good opportunity for me to see what I’m capable of.” Her PR is 49.14.
Imke Vervaet (50.86 PR) is retiring at age 32. She won bronze as part of Belgium’s mixed 4×4 in Tokyo.
Jian Wang, the ’22 world champion in the long jump, had a doping positive in an out-of-competition test a few months after he made the finals of the Paris Olympics. The Chinese Anti-Doping Agency ruled he was not at fault and did not suspend him, saying that he had been passively exposed to an asthma medication while accompanying a relative to the hospital for nebulizer treatment. After a review of hospital security footage, the AIU has decided not to appeal the ruling.
Roisin Willis has bypassed her final year of eligibility at Stanford to run professionally for New Balance.
Clayton Young pulled out of the Valencia Marathon because of inflammation and irritation between his talus, navicular, and cuneiform bones. “Turns out my injury was just as stubborn as I am,” he says. “After 6 weeks on the injury merry-go-round of the stages of grief, I am grateful to be back running again.”
French hurdler Sasha Zhoya is on the road to recovery from Achilles problems: “I’m getting back into shape. Physically, I’m starting to reach 100%. I started back 3 weeks ago, very, very slowly. I still haven’t started racing again. I’m starting from scratch. We’re going to try to have an injury-free season.”
Doping Bans…
8 years — Mohamed Aman (Ethiopia, 800);
6 years — Sheila Chelangat (Kenya, distance). □
