THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:
Sprint legend Allyson Felix has announced she will retire following this season, saying, “I have so much gratitude for this sport that has changed my life. I have given everything I have to running and for the first time I’m not sure if I have anything left to give. I want to say goodbye and thank you to the sport and people who have helped shape me the only way I know how—with one last run. This season isn’t about the time on the clock, it’s simply about joy.”
Sara Hall didn’t run Boston because of injury concern: “My knee is improving but the challenging course in Boston would put it at high risk of a major setback. My attention has been on getting it 100% healthy for the World Champs.” The original tendon injury came from a February fall in which her knee hit a rock.
Iowa State’s Wesley Kiptoo has given up his last season of eligibility to turn pro, signing with Hoka NAZ Elite.
High jump AR holder Chaunté Lowe has announced her retirement at age 38. She had returned to the event last year in a bid to make the Olympic Trials after battling breast cancer.
Iowa 400 find Jenoah McKiver (44.74) is sitting out awhile with an unspecified injury. “We’re still evaluating some stuff,” said head coach Joey Woody. “He’s still getting tests done. I think we’re going to have a shot at getting him ready for Big 10s. That’s our plan for right now.”
Sydney McLaughlin was set to run on the New Balance women’s distance medley record attempt in Boston, but withdrew because of a hamstring tweak.
Molly Seidel ran two-thirds of the Boston Marathon before being forced to drop out. She explained, “I’ve been dealing with a hip impingement on and off through the build. It was feeling good the last few weeks and no indication that it would hurt today. I went out aggressively in the race but wasn’t able to hang with the leaders but tried to give it my best shot even though the hip started to lock up around halfway. By mile 16 I was in a good deal of pain and I had to make the difficult call to stop at a medical tent to avoid really damaging anything.”
The International Front…
Kenenisa Bekele withdrew from the Boston Marathon, saying he was “just not ready.”
Dane Bird-Smith, who won the 20K walk bronze for Australia in ’16, has retired at age 29.
World steeple champion Beatrice Chepkoech says she is now recovered from the injury that hit her this winter.
2-time Boston winner Lelisa Desisa was a DNF this year because of back spasms.
Japan’s Taku Fujimoto, the ’19 winner of the Fukuoka Marathon, has retired at age 32.
Although somewhat weakened, Nicola McDermott returned from COVID to win the Aussie HJ title at 6-4¼ (1.94). “Unfortunately, I’ve still been sick throughout the preparation,” she said.
Olympic walk gold medalist Antonella Palmisano will not be ready for the Worlds this summer as she has been troubled by hip inflammation.
Wayde van Niekerk withdrew from the South African championships with a hamstring injury, lamenting, “Unfortunately things have not been going my way the last few weeks.”
Doping suspensions…
4 years — Joyce Chepkirui (Kenya, distance), Ophélie Claude-Boxberger (France, steeple—an extension of her original 2-year ban), Yekaterina Doseykina (Russia, steeple);
3 years — Antonio Infantino (Italy, sprints);
2 years — Morris Munene (Kenya, marathon). □