THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:
Colorado alum Maddie Alm, a 15:19.03 performer at 5000, has retired at age 31.
Emmanuel Bor has scratched from the 5000/10,000 at the Trials, with no reason given.
After losing much of ’23 to a torn hamstring, Tokyo Olympic 4th-placer Michael Cherry got healthy enough to race in 6 meets this season, but failed to achieve the Trials standard.
Maddy Elmore, the Oregon recordholder at 5000, has not raced since early May because of an undisclosed injury.
Marathoner Lindsay Flanagan slipped on ice in March and broke her fibula.
Twice a Pac-12 champ in the long jump, Oregon’s Alysah Hickey had been dealing with an ankle injury this season, and she aggravated it at this year’s Pac-12.
Georgia sprinter Kaila Jackson has scratched from both the 100 and 200 at the Trials.
Emily Lipari has scratched from the Trials, posting, “I will not be stepping on the line at the Olympic Trials and coming to terms with that has absolutely crushed me. I have been dealing with a knee injury that has had me sidelined for quite a bit. It has been an extremely difficult last few months as I have had to shift the mentality from ‘what will it take to make this team’ to ‘how can I get to the start line.’ I live in an optimistic world, but I have truly struggled to find the good that comes from this one.”
Rebecca Mehra has been troubled by Achilles issues recently.
Oregon hurdler Aaliyah McCormick, last year’s USATF U20 champion at 100 hurdles, ended her season before Pac-12s with a hamstring tear.
Zach McWhorter injured his ankle over the winter and it did not recover enough for him to vault at the Trials. It will apparently require surgery.
Colleen Quigley returned for her first track race in more than a year, but missed the steeple qualifier.
Katie Rainsberger, who last raced at the ’23 USATF meet, has revealed that she has a “moderately large mass” on her thymus. In addition, her heart has been diagnosed as having “conduction abnormality and interseptal hypertrophy.” She adds, “I’ve known something wasn’t right for a long time, so getting some answers has actually brought some relief and validation. It’s been a difficult time figuring out why I’ve felt so bad the last year but I’m grateful to finally be making some progress.”
Rachel Smith has been struggling with a hamstring strain along with the sleeplessness that comes from being a new parent. She posted, “I catch myself feeling bummed things aren’t where I wanted heading into the Trials. Bummed that two months ago I felt the dream of making a second Olympic team burning so strong, and now it feels more like a flickering hope (but there’s still hope!).”
Kellyn Taylor, who found out she had a stress fracture in her femur after her Marathon Trials 15th, has recovered well enough to qualify for the Trials 10K.
Emily Venters, last year’s NCAA 10K runner-up for Utah (and 3rd in the 5K), is taking a pass on the Olympic Trials after revealing that she has struggled with depression since becoming a pro. “So while, I am taking a break from racing, I’m still training, but just allowing myself the time and space to heal and reset.”
Skylyn Webb qualified for the Trials 1500 but had to scratch because of injury.
Iowa’s Austin West had to drop out of the NCAA decathlon with injury issues, but intends to compete at the Trials.
Kayla White, who placed 3rd in the USATF 200 last year, is out of the Trials. “I’ve been battling an injury for months and me and my team have decided it’s best that we focus on becoming 100% healthy.”
Britton Wilson announced she won’t race at the Trials because of a “lingering injury.” She added, “My long-term goals are big, and I know I will reach them once I am truly healed. I can’t wait to be back on the track but for now I’ll need some time off.”
On The International Front…
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn limped off the track in Turku; no word on injury yet.
A hamstring injury stopped Tennessee’s Clement Ducos in the NCAA 400H; no update yet on whether it will keep him out of the Olympics.
French marathoner Mehdi Frère, already named to the Olympic team, has been provisionally suspended by the AIU following three whereabouts violations.
British miler Charlie Grice has retired at age 30. He made World and Olympic finals in 2015–16.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson pulled out of the Euro Champs heptathlon after three events due to “a small niggle in her right leg.” Her coach explained, “We don’t want to risk losing any time from training which could be the result if she was to carry on competing with it for another day.”
Canada’s Justin Knight will miss the Olympics as he continues to come back from Achilles surgery last year.
Renaud Lavillenie, who has yet to hit the Olympic standard in the vault, suffered a hamstring injury while competing in the rain in a small vault-only meet.
Dominic Lobalu, though he has been cleared by WA to represent Switzerland in international competition, has not been approved to wear those colors at the Olympics because he is not a Swiss national yet. As a result, the IOC Board has named him to the Refugee Team for the Games.
Swiss Thobias Montler missed the Euros with injury.
Long retired Olympic hammer champ Yipsi Moreno, now 43, surprised by throwing recently in Albania, her first meet in 10 years. The 3-time world champion for Cuba reached 209-9 (63.94). Reports say she may represent Albania, where she has been working as a coach.
Finnish vaulter Wilma Murto got a small tendon tear in her leg at the European Championships, but still thinks she will be able to jump in Paris.
Sweden’s Samuel Pihlström took a hard fall in the Euro 1500 heats, breaking his wrist.
Jamaican Wayne Pinnock revealed he competed in the NCAA long jump despite injuring his groin at the SEC meet. “This is an Olympic year, and I am really focusing on this as I really want to represent my country there, but time is against me.”
Jamaican Longhorn Ackelia Smith accomplished her jumps double at the NCAA meet despite struggling with a hamstring injury much of the season.
Tina Šutej skipped the Euros after injuring her right biceps in training.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, with an Achilles injury suffered at the New York GP, will only run the 100 at the Jamaican Trials.
Britain’s Jessica Warner-Judd did not finish the Euro 10,000 after suffering a seizure mid-race. She posted later to say that she has been diagnosed with focal epilepsy.
Doping Bans…
6 years – Rhonex Kipruto (Kenya, distance). □