THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:
British 60 champ Jeremiah Azu pulled out of the World Indoor with hamstring troubles.
German teen Sofia Benfarès, who won Euro U20 bronze at 3000 last year, has been provisionally suspended for doping. Her sister was suspended a few weeks earlier.
Nigerian Ese Brume, the Olympic LJ bronze medalist who trains in the U.S., was unable to get a visa to compete in the World Indoor.
Mary Cain, now 27, has been approved to represent Ireland internationally. The former teen star has not raced in 4 years.
French vaulter Margo Chevrier sustained a complete ankle break while competing in the World Indoor final. She was hospitalized for several days before she could return home.
WA has cleared Fiodaliza Cofil to compete again. The DSD athlete helped the Dominican Republic win mixed 4×4 hold in ’22, and has now lowered her testosterone levels.
Britain’s Callum Elson tore his Achilles in the Glasgow 1500 heats and is out for the year..
British miler Neil Gourley injured himself in training and missed the end of the indoor season.
Elly Henes had surgery in October to deal with a partially collapsed lung. She recovered well, and raced to 6th in the USATF 3000 and 7th in the next day’s 1500.
Norway’s Eivind Henriksen, hammer silver medalist in Tokyo, injured his knee seriously while taking out the trash. He hopes to recover in time for Paris.
Aleia Hobbs was unable to run the World Indoor 60 final. Just before the start, as she jumped up and down to ready herself, she was hit by pain. She had to be taken away in a wheelchair. Later she said, “I’m good, I was just cramping up bad.”
Three days after she dropped out of the Trials Marathon, Molly Huddle discovered she had COVID.
Tia Jones apparently aggravated an injury at the finish of her 60H WR in Albuquerque and was unable to join the U.S. team for Glasgow.
Say goodbye to his World Rankings: Spain’s Mohamed Katir has been banned for 2 years following his decision not to fight whereabouts violations charges. He won silver in last year’s Worlds 5000.
Norbert Kigen, a 2:05:13 marathoner from Kenya, has been provisionally suspended by the AIU.
Kazakhstan’s Caroline Kipkirui, who placed 7th in the ’22 World Champs 10,000, has been provisionally suspended for whereabouts violations.
Croatia’s Jana Koščak had to drop out of the Glasgow pentathlon after the hurdles because of ankle pain.
Pascal Martinot-Lagarde missed the end of the indoor season because of a right adductor tear. He hopes to be back hurdling in time for the Olympics.
Alicia Monson says that she weathered a bout with COVID early in the year.
High jumper Eleanor Patterson had been named to the Australian team for Glasgow, but withdrew before the meet to focus on her Olympic preparation.
Two-time world shot champion David Storl has retired. The German 33-year-old said, “After the herniated disc in 2021, things became difficult. At some point, what you risk is no longer in proportion to what you can gain.”
Poland’s Adrianna Sułek, 4th in the Worlds heptathlon in ’22, gave birth in February.
Slovenian vaulter Tina Šutej ended her indoor season early because of Achilles problems. “I can’t train. It makes no sense to try,” she said. “I just do not want to be in pain anymore. To get proper preparation for Olympic Games I must be OK and fix this.”
Kellyn Taylor has discovered that she raced the Trials Marathon on a stress fracture in her femur. She placed 15th in 2:30:28.
Helen Tola, who has a marathon best of 2:19:44 for Ethiopia last year, is now eligible to represent Switzerland.
Spain’s Maria Vicente led the pentathlon hurdles in Glasgow then suffered a complete Achilles rupture in the high jump. She had surgery the Monday following and will miss the rest of this year.
Oregon sprinter Micah Williams had surgery on his knee last fall and will miss the track season.
French hurdler Sasha Zhoya withdrew from the Melbourne CT meet with tightness in a thigh.
Doping Bans…
8 years — Sarah Chepchirchir (Kenya, marathon), Nirmala Sheoran (India, 400);
6 years — Temutai Komen (Kenya, distance);
5 years — Sitora Khamidova (Uzbekistan, distance);
4 years — Anjali Devi (India, 400), Charles Kamau (Kenya, distance), Viktoriya Sudarushkina (Russia, javelin);
2 years — Mohamed Katir (Spain, distance). □