THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:
Sweden’s Andreas Almgren, who just missed a 10K medal at the Euros, was kept out of the Olympics by a stress reaction in his shin.
Michigan’s Big 10 400 champ Dubeme Amene, after competing in the Olympic 4×4 heats for the Nigerian squad that was ultimately DQed, retired from the sport immediately afterward to pursue a career in finance.
Kenenisa Bekele injured his hamstring in the Olympic marathon, in which he finished 39th. He said, “I’m now resting and receiving treatment and I’m starting to feel better step by step.”
Hurdler Jasmine Camacho-Quinn withdrew from Chorzów at the last minute. She posted, “I had to pull out during warmups due to issues with my calf, foot/Achilles. I couldn’t give my all and did not want to risk anything. Season is not finished but taking care of this issue is more important as for now. I must listen to my body. See you all in Zürich.”
Joshua Cheptegei announced that he may be shifting his focus to the roads. “I have won everything there is to be won, and I think this is my last Olympics and track & field race,” said the Ugandan standout.
Javelin silver medalist Neeraj Chopra went from Paris to Germany to consult with medicos about whether to have surgery on his groin or compete through the end of the season.
Freddie Crittenden had an aggravated adductor and chose to jog the first round of the hurdles and focus on the repechage to gain more recovery time.
World Indoor champ Alexander Doom tore his adductor warming up for the 4×4 final and needed a last-minute replacement. He said he a slight tear had emerged in the heats. “We tried to keep it under control so we could still participate.”
German decathlete Manuel Eitel had hoped to improve on his 11th-place finish in last summer’s Worlds, but Covid knocked him out in Paris. “Today is one of the worst days of my life,” he posted. “What I’m feeling right now is beyond any defeat I’ve ever experienced.”
After his last-place finish in the Chorzów 3000, Grant Fisher posted, “The wheels finally came off in my 3K yesterday. A good sign to call it after a long season. Time for some rest!”
Florida prep Skyler Franklin will not be able to compete for Jamaica in the World Junior 400, reportedly because of paperwork issues.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, after a solid 10.92 heat, withdrew from her Paris semi after a hamstring strain in warmups.
Steven Gardiner, the Bahamas’ ’21 Olympic 400 champion, was unable to defend his title because of ankle and tendon issues.
Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma, who hit his head in a horrifying fall on the last lap of the steeplechase, was hospitalized and later reported to be conscious and in good condition.
Alabama alum Esther Gitahi, a Kenyan who has run a 5000 PR of 15:10.70 this season, has been provisionally suspended for EPO.
No relay duty for Quincy Hall, who strained a hamstring in winning the 400 gold.
British marathoner Rose Harvey was not far from the end of the Olympic marathon when she developed leg pain that turned out to be a femoral stress fracture. She continued on to finish 78th in 2:51:03, explaining “In any other race, I would have stopped.”
Jaydon Hibbert, 4th in the Olympic triple jump, withdrew from the World U20 Championships because of injury.
Nikki Hiltz, saying rest was needed, ended their racing season after placing 7th in the Olympic 1500.
Keely Hodgkinson has ended her season, posting, “No more races for me! Unfortunately, I picked up a small injury, but we achieved everything I had hoped to do this year.”
Former world vault champion Raphael Holzdeppe, 34, retired shortly after the Olympics.
Hamstring tightness kept Zharnel Hughes from the 4×1 heats.
Shericka Jackson missed the Olympics because of a minor Achilles tear.
Sweden’s Perseus Karlström says he was weakened by Covid prior to his 21st-place finish in the 20K walk.
Sisay Lemma withdrew from the Ethiopian marathon team because of injury.
Pole vaulter Gabriella Leon competed all year while dealing with hamstring issues, but nonetheless scored an outdoor PR after an 8th in the OT. “I decided to end the season early to get a PRP injection to get healthy sooner to prep for the 2025 season,” she said.
Former European 100 champion Gina Lückenkemper caught Covid just before the Games. She made it as far as the semis in the 100, but helped Germany to bronze in the 4×1.
After his bronze in the 200, Noah Lyles said that he had tested positive for Covid two days earlier. Two days later, he announced that he was negative. A week after the Olympics, he indicated that his season was over.
Japanese Record Honami Maeda withdrew from the Olympic marathon with a stress fracture.
Ireland’s Euro 1500 champ Ciara Mageean missed the Olympics because of an Achilles injury.
WR holder Kevin Mayer had hoped to compete in the Paris decathlon, but was unable to recover from his hamstring tear in time.
Eilish McColgan says she will focus on the roads for the rest of the season after her 15th in the Paris 10,000.
Germany’s long jump silver medalist Malaika Mihambo ended her season after the Olympics, pointing to the Covid case she had before the Games and saying that she needed more time to rest before she begins training again.
Prep sprinter Christian Miller, who had signed with Georgia, has announced that he will skip NCAA competition and focus on a professional career.
Scottish 1500 runner Laura Muir ended her season after Paris: “The toll the Olympics can take on you both physically and mentally can be a lot!”
Michael Norman has explained that he was hampered in Paris by “a nagging pain” in his pelvis. “Unfortunately, after my semi, my body couldn’t handle the load and constant irritation.”
Favour Ofili had been expected to compete in the Paris 100, but Nigeria’s Olympic Committee failed to enter her. She did take 6th in the 200
OT winner Fiona O’Keeffe experienced hip tightness and pain in the week leading up to the Olympic 26-miler. “Unfortunately, by the time I had enough information to make a call, it was past the deadline to sub in an alternate. But I couldn’t let go of that sliver of hope that I’d wake up this morning and be good to go.” She dropped out of the race before the 5K mark.
Portugal’s mile record holder, Marta Pen Freitas, has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Pedro Pichardo is seriously contemplating retirement after his TJ silver: “I have lost that excitement, that happiness that I had for sport and I have been thinking about retiring as of today. What I have in mind is to stay here, now. Stop here. Today was my last competition. My family is still talking to me to see if I can stay longer, my health is good, I am still 31 years old, I don’t know. I will think about it and see if I continue.”
Jamaican-American steepler Aisha Praught-Leer has retired: “I did not make the team this year and it’s been such a disappointment. I really had been projecting this. Since the Tokyo Olympics, I’ve always known that this could be my last year competing. I’m 34 and I’ve been to two Olympics and I’ve had such a great career but, unfortunately, this year I couldn’t hold my body together for the whole and be able to either race enough to get into the quota or just having ill-timed injuries to be able to go out and be ready to hit the standard.”
Brett Robinson, the Australian marathon recordholder, had to withdraw from the Olympics because of a glute injury.
Brazilian putter Darlan Romani missed the Games with a recurrent hernia injury that will require surgery.
Cyrena Samba-Mayela won 100H silver despite a June case of Covid. Said coach John Coghlan, “We’re not going to lie, Covid has had a big impact.”
German heptathlete Carolin Schäfer retired after the Games. “I can’t imagine a better conclusion for myself than to say ‘farewell’ on the biggest sporting stage in the world.”
Jamaican sprinter Oblique Seville recently was treated in Germany for a groin injury which struck again in the 100 final. “I know that I could have done better. It just came at the wrong time.”
Abby Steiner is again dealing with injury: “After running rounds at Trials, I got my third MRI of the season which showed us that there was more bone spur and a partial tear of my Achilles tendon, which meant it was time to shut it down (again) and get surgery (again). I have a really good team around me and I’m thankful for that during these times. I’m gonna fight like hell to be back.”
A hamstring injury struck Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith after her 10.87 heat in Paris, causing her to finish last in the 100 final and withdraw from the 200.
’21 Olympic co-champion Gianmarco Tamberi competed in Paris days after being in the hospital for kidney stones and high fever.
Nafi Thiam revealed she needed stitches in her knee after cutting it with her spikes during the heptathlon long jump. “And without anesthesia,” she said, “because that can paralyze the muscles. I tried to ignore it all. Luckily, I didn’t hit my muscle, otherwise it would have been over immediately. I was just afraid that the stitches would break during the javelin throw.”
Angelina Topić qualified for the high jump final but announced she could not compete, having fractured her non-takeoff ankle in the qualifying.
Anouk Vetter DNFed the heptathlon because of a hamstring injury.
German heptathlete Sophie Weissenberg ruptured her Achilles in warming up for the hurdles.
Kibrom Ghebrezgiabhier was supposed to compete in the Olympic marathon for Eritrea; instead he got a provisional suspension for EPO and furosemide.
Jake Wightman had intended to compete in the Olympic 800 after missing team selection in the 1500, but a hamstring injury kept him out.
Doping Bans…
7 years — Selina Jebet (Kenya, distance);
4 Years — Caroline Kigen (Kenya, marathon), Brenda Kiprono (Kenya, marathon), Ronald Levy (Jamaica, 110H);
3 years — Celestine Chepchirchir (Kenya, marathon);
2 years — Winrose Chepkorir (Kenya, distance), Florentina Iușco (Romania, long jump). □