THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments, many of which will have notable effect on the Olympic Trials. First, the really good news — for the first time in many a month, there’s not a single COVID-related item:
It’s unknown why, but sprinter/jumper Tori Bowie didn’t enter the Trials.
Racewalker Katie Burnett is out of the Trials 20K because of injuries.
A 2:16:52 marathoner, Sage Canaday was hospitalized with what was diagnosed with a bilateral pulmonary embolism.
Amy Cragg, the ’17 WC marathon bronze medalist, has retired from serious competition and will join the Puma coaching staff in North Carolina.
Former prep mile star Cruz Culpepper is transferring from Washington to Mississippi.
Veteran hurdler Dawn Harper Nelson didn’t get a time qualifier for Eugene, but got a pass into the meet under USATF’s Rule 8, which allows a WC medalist from the previous 4 years automatic entry.
In a shocking development, Shelby Houlihan (see Last Lap) has been banned for 4 years for a positive out-of-competition test for the steroid nandrolone.
Molly Huddle has scratched from the Olympic Trials, reportedly because of ongoing hip and ankle problems.
Steeple AR holder Evan Jager did not enter the Trials because of a calf tear.
Jonah Koech has been approved to compete for the United States internationally. The 1:46.19 performer runs for the U.S. Army. The normal waiting period was waived because he hasn’t represented Kenya since ’15.
As reported in Last Lap in May, WA declared blade runner Blake Leeper ineligible for regular competition. The American quartermiler, 31, then appealed to CAS, but a panel from that body has upheld the WA decision, so he won’t be in the OT.
Hurdler Brianna McNeal, facing a 5-year suspension for tampering with the doping control process (see Last Lap), will be allowed to compete in the Trials while her case is being appealed to CAS.
Former Boise State steeplechaser Allie Ostrander is being treated for an eating disorder.
Shannon Rowbury did not enter the Trials after the diagnosis of a stress fracture that occurred while at altitude camp. “Hopefully I’ll have a speedy recovery and be back running by the fall,” she said.
USC sprinter TeeTee Terry has announced she’s turning pro.
A scratch from the Trials 400: Shakima Wimbley. It is not known whether this is related to a strained biceps femoris that she reported earlier this season. She has not finished a race since February.
Internationally…
Anna Chicherova, the ’12 Olympic high jump champ who is back from a 2-year ban, says she will retire at the end of the year.
British 400 hurdler Eilidh Doyle, a 4×4 bronze medalist in Rio, has announced her retirement at age 34.
Another Briton, Sophie Hitchon, who won the hammer bronze in Rio, has retired at age 29.
Heptathlete Laura Ikauniece of Latvia will not compete in Tokyo, saying that her rehabilitation from several surgeries is taking longer than expected.
Euro 60 champion Marcell Jacobs withdrew from the Florence DL, still troubled by a left adductor strain from late May.
Still troubled by an Achilles injury, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson will skip the British Trials in order to be ready for Tokyo.
Kibiwott Kandie, the WR holder in the half marathon, has been knocked out of the Kenyan 10,000 Trials by a right knee injury.
Bedan Karoki, 4th in the 10,000 at the ’17 Worlds, will miss the Kenyan Trials because of a recurring hamstring injury.
Magnus Kirt will not be competing in the Tokyo javelin. The Doha runner-up has not recovered from a stress fracture in his heel that he incurred in December.
A back injury kept distance runner Konstanze Klosterhalfen out of the German Championships.
Not displaying her World Championships form this year, Russian high jump star Mariya Lasitskene missed a pair of June competitions with a hip injury.
The discus world champ in ’15, Piotr Małachowski will retire at the end of this season.
Luvo Manyonga, the ’17 WC gold medalist in the long jump who is serving a ban for a whereabouts failure, will be receiving help from the South African federation as he battles drug addiction.
Johannes Vetter felt an adductor twinge in his last big javelin meet, so he took a few meets off, saying that even though the MRI looked good, “We are not taking any risks towards Tokyo. You have to be a little patient until you get to see the next 90m throw — but it’s coming!”
Doping Suspensions…
4 years – El Mahjoub Dazza (Morocco, marathon), Shelby Houlihan (U.S., 1500/5000). □