THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:
Tori Bowie pulled up near the end of the Prefontaine 100, saying later that an upper leg muscle “grabbed pretty bad.”
A bruised heel kept Taliyah Brooks from defending her SEC heptathlon title and she didn’t qualify for Nationals in the long jump at Regionals. She’s still tabbed for a high spot in the multi, however.
A leg tweak delayed the start of the outdoor season for Christian Coleman, who didn’t look particularly sharp at Pre.
Conspicuous by her absence from the Pre 400 was Allyson Felix, who withdrew without explanation in the days right before the meet.
Another speedy Vol alum, Justin Gatlin, was kept out of Pre by a right hamstring injury.
Robert Grant of Texas A&M has had injury issues this year, limiting his participation in the 4×4, where he is a key leg. He did not compete at the West Regional.
2-time NCAA Indoor shot champ Mostafa Hassan of Colorado State missed most of the outdoor season with a torn groin muscle, but will compete in Eugene, where he no longer has favorite’s status.
Hurdle vet Lolo Jones may be back racing in June after Achilles troubles this spring.
Hurdler David Kendziera of Illinois suffered a minor hamstring injury at the Big 10.
Texas A&M’s Mylik Kerley has struggled with injury this year and failed to qualify for the NCAA 400.
Another Aggie star, reigning NCAA javelin champ, Ioánnis Kyriazís, still dealing with injuries, also failed to qualify.
What he described as a “lingering hip issue” kept Kyle Merber out of the Prefontaine Classic.
Sandi Morris suffered a minor sprained ankle vaulting at the Doha DL and told reporters she was unable to practice from a full approach before the Pre Classic.
Oregon’s Katie Rainsberger has struggled this year with a partially torn Achilles and a stress reaction in her foot.
Pole vaulter Mary Saxer has announced her retirement at 30.
Ro’Derick Spears, 13.78 in the East Regional for Mississippi State, has had limited training this spring because of a hamstring issue.
On The International Front…
Germany’s Pamela Dutkiewicz, world 100H bronze medalist, announced that she is delaying the start of her season because of a muscle problem.
Rico Freimuth, Germany’s WC decathlon silver medalist, will not compete in the Euros this year after withdrawing from Götzis. He says it’s because of “motivational problems.”
Kept out of the Commonwealth Games discus by a knee injury, India’s Vikas Gowda has retired at 34 and will now pursue his MBA at North Carolina.
Robbie Grabarz, Britain’s ’12 Olympic high jump bronze medalist, has retired at the age of 30.
Dutch mid-distance star Sifan Hassan has withdrawn from Hengelo with a knee injury.
Olympic 800 finalist Joanna Jóźwik of Poland will miss the entire season with a hip injury.
European 1500 champion Marcin Lewandowski of Poland had to withdraw from the European Champion Clubs Cup because of an unspecified injury.
Isaac Makwala of Botswana pulled up halfway through the Pre 200 and limped off the track.
French hurdler Pascal Martinot-Lagarde curtailed his meet schedule this month because of an adductor strain.
Francine Niyonsaba has revealed that she was diagnosed with malaria prior to her successful defense of her World Indoor 800 gold.
4th at the Worlds last year, Estonian decathlete Janek Õiglane pulled out of Götzis with fitness concerns.
David Rudisha has delayed his comeback as the quad strain that kept the 800 WR holder out of last year’s Worlds continues to manifest itself in different ways. A back problem is part of the trouble, as is a hamstring irritation.
Wayde van Niekerk has confirmed that he will miss all of the ’18 season in order to rehab his knee, badly injured last fall in a celebrity touch rugby match.
Julian Weber, 9th in the Rio javelin for Germany, has two herniated discs. □
