THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:
Devon Allen has put his hurdling on hold as he recovers from what he calls a minor injury.
Putter-supreme Ryan Crouser has hit pause on his season, not yet competing because of an elbow injury. He still intends to compete in Tokyo, where he has a wild card berth.
Grant Fisher withdrew from the Philly Grand Slam, explaining, “I had a hamstring issue come up a few days ago that I hoped would come around but it just wasn’t ready for a full-race effort.”
The NCAA Regionals saw Rachel Glenn withdraw from both the 400H and high jump. “She has been struggling with some pain in her pelvic bone area, and it’s just been bothering her,” said Razorback assistant Taylor Washington. “We decided to just shut it down for her, just for her health and for her future, wanting to run professionally and compete professionally, whether she chooses the 400H, high jump or both.”
In mid-May Noah Lyles missed the Atlanta City Games with a “tight” ankle. He said, “I need to play it safe… It’s just a little inflammation.”
An unspecified injury caused Masai Russell to withdraw from the Philly Grand Slam as well as Jamaica’s Racers GP in June.
Parker Valby, who hasn’t raced since early February, posted, “Sometimes things don’t go to plan and the last few months have tested me in ways I didn’t know possible… My foot decided to rebel after indoors… but I am on the mend and will be back on a track soon.”
Stanford Olympian Juliette Whittaker, who has raced sparingly this outdoor season, posted in May, “I’ve been struggling with depression for a long time now and recently it has become heavy and unbearable to carry… I’ve been gone, but I’m finding my way back. It’s not easy, some days are still hard, and everyday healing looks different, but I’m starting to believe that life has more for me.”
The International Scene
Germany’s Mikaelle Assani, 3rd in the Euro Indoor long jump, tore a tendon in her thigh that day and will not compete outdoors this season.
World Indoor 60 champ Jeremiah Azu withdrew from the British team at the World Relays because of injury.
Mutaz Barshim had to miss the Doha DL because of an unspecified injury.
Ukrainian horizontal jumper Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk has been provisionally suspended following a positive test for testosterone.
Hurdler Joel Bengtsson, a 13.54 performer for UT Arlington in ’22, the year he won the Swedish championships, recently told how after he transferred to UCLA, he was hit by a hammer. The training session accident caused broken bones in his skull and led to extensive reconstruction, effectively ending his career.
Kenya’s Sheila Chelangat has been provisionally suspended for EPO.
Decathlete Johannes Erm had knee surgery in April but plans to return to competition relatively quickly.
Bruno Hortelano, the Spanish recordholder in the sprints, has retired at age 33.
A back injury has hampered Euro javelin champ Victoria Hudson.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen has been slowed by a “small irritation” in his Achilles, postponing an altitude training camp and saying it was doubtful he would race at Bislett on June 12.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson was a late withdrawal from the Götzis heptathlon, citing a minor injury.
Mujinga Kambundji has canceled the rest of her season “for the most beautiful reason.” Switzerland’s World Indoor 60 champ is expecting her first child.
German marathoner Melat Kejeta took a break for an injury after the Berlin Marathon last fall and now says she is pregnant, but analyzed, “The main thing is that running never stops.”
Canada’s Justyn Knight is returning to competition this year, having missed 3 years because of Achilles problems and the resulting surgery. “I’m just grateful to have the opportunity to be racing again.”
Russian high jump ace Mariya Lasitskene, a 6-time No. 1, is taking a break from competition, saying that she is no longer motivated because she is restricted to competitions in Russia.
The ’13 world champ in the long jump, Russia’s Aleksandr Menkov, has retired, revealing, “I tried to prepare for this season, but almost out of the blue I got injured again.”
Shaunae Miller-Uibo has been training again, and her coach thinks she might begin racing in June.
Sweden’s Mustafa Mohamed, a 2-time World Ranker in the steeple but lately a marathoner, has retired at age 46.
Nikola Ogrodníková, the Paris bronze medalist in the javelin, has given birth to a son. She plans to return to training soon.
Eddie Nketia, the New Zealand recordholder in the 100 at 10.08, has requested a transfer of allegiance to Australia. If approved, he would be able to compete internationally for Australia starting in July. Collegiately, he’s running for USC.
Russian hurdler Sergey Shubenkov is delaying his start this season because of a leg injury.
Azerbaijani hammer thrower Hanna Skydan, 4th in the last Worlds, will miss Tokyo as she is expecting her first child this summer.
Zouhair Talbi, the 2:06:39 marathoner who represented Morocco in the Paris Olympics, has applied to represent the United States internationally. He is eligible to compete in USATF Championships.
Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo says he is dealing with a “recurring injury, which hasn’t been easy.”
Decathlete Lindon Victor was a DNF at Götzis with Achilles problems.
French hurdler Sasha Zhoya had to take a pass on the Philly Grand Slam because of Achilles issues.
Doping Bans…
5 years – Daniel do Nascimento (Brazil, marathon);
4 years – Dominique Lasconi Mulamba (Congo, sprints);
3 years – Nehamiah Kipyegon (Kenya, marathon);
2 years, 3 months – Purity Changwony (Kenya, marathon);
2 years – Norbert Kobielski (Poland, high jump);
22-months – Roman Kokoshko (Ukraine, shot). □
