News outlets in Honolulu are reporting that Ambese Tolossa, the Ethiopian marathoner who won last December’s Honolulu Marathon, has been disqualified for failing a drug test. The news broke after today’s release of IAAF News which listed Tolossa as having failed an in-competition doping control in Honolulu, and he had already been suspended by his federation for a two year period beginning last February.
Jimmy Muindi, who finished second, was declared the race winner. It was his sixth Honolulu Marathon title.
You can read various reports at these links:
http://starbulletin.com/breaking/breaking.php?id=7314
http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=8549843
http://www.kitv.com/news/16698675/detail.html
The Slovenian Athletics Federation (AZS) cleared distance runner Helena Javornik of doping charges despite two recent positive tests showing the presence of EPO.
“Helena Javornik did not commit a doping offense,” Tadej Malovrh, the head of the federation’s anti-doping commission said in a statement released early this morning after a four-and-a-half hour hearing concluded.
“This is what I was expecting,” Javornik, 42, the national record holder in all events from the mile to the marathon, told Slovenian national television. “Because I’ve never taken anything illegal.”
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We get a fantastic world record in the 100 meters, and one of the first questions is about drugs. From the New York Times:
When Usain Bolt of Jamaica set a world record of 9.72 seconds at 100 meters Saturday night, two questions became urgent:
Was the supporting tailwind legal?
Was Bolt himself legal?
Track and field has become so compromised by doping that any startling performance brings immediate suspicion. Even before the race at the Reebok Grand Prix meet on Randall’s Island, Bolt and his top challenger, the 2007 world champion Tyson Gay, faced inevitable questions from reporters about performance-enhancing drugs. The pre-race inquiries have become as routine as the postrace drug screens.
The purists and the pollyannas alike bemoan this state of affairs. And while the comedians and cartoonists have (rightly) turned their doping jokes towards baseball instead of track, they still don’t get the same treatment. Manny Ramirez smacked his 500th career home run this week and did not have to answer these kind of questions.
Will track ever be rid of this suspicion? I say not any time soon, and maybe never.
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Bislett Games To Wean Golden League Million Dollar List
That list of contenders for the Golden League million dollar jackpot always looks impressive after the first meet of the year. It only starts becoming meaningful, though, after the second meet, because only undefeated athletes can contend for the million dollar prize. The list below should be quite a bit shorter after this weekend’s Bislett Games, the 2nd installment of the six-meet series:
Men
100m - Nesta Carter (JAM)
400m - LaShawn Merritt (USA)
1500m - Augustine Choge (KEN)
400m Hurdles - Bershawn Jackson (USA)
Long Jump - Hussein Al-Sabee (KSA)
Javelin Throw - Tero Pitkämäki (FIN)
Women
200m - Sherone Simpson (JAM)
800m - Pamela Jelimo (KEN)
100m Hurdles - Josephine Onyia (ESP)
High Jump - Blanka Vlasic (CRO)
IAAF
Gatlin Decision To Be Published On Friday
Track fans around the world will know the fate of disgraced sprinter Justin Gatlin by Friday afternoon when the CAS publishes its decision. Gatlin is hoping o get a two-year reduction of his four-year suspension, which would make him eligible to try qualifying for the US Olympic Trials which will be held later this month in Eugene, Oregon.
AFP
Adam Goucher: Kara In Best Shape Of Her Life
As Kara Goucher prepares to face world-record holder Meseret Defar in the Prefonaine Classic 5000m, her husband Adam has stated that she is “strong. Hands down, the best shape of her life. So strong, and ready to go. It’s going to be a great year.”
USA Today
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Sebastian Coe: Real Damage to Track & Field Inflicted By Americans
British Middle-Distance Great Sebastian Coe has written a scathing indictment of America’s role in the doping scandal in track & field and our attitude toward the sport. Perhaps most telling are his words, “American athletes who remain anonymous in their own towns are lauded in the Golden League in Europe.”
More: Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom
Lagat Remains a Student Of the Sport
The Guardian has posted a profile of Beijing 1500m favorite Bernard Lagat who, after all of his experience and success, remains a careful student of the sport who learns something every day.
More: guardian.co.uk, UK
Bolt Undecided About Olympic Double
Having only run five 100m races in his entire life, world-record holder Usain Bolt is still not sure whether or not he will attempt a 100m/200m double in Beijing. He said he would run the 200m “for sure” but that he would leave the decision about the 100m up to his coach, Glen Mills.
More: CBC
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The Week In the Rear View is a weekly column wrapping up the week’s events in running and track & field. I am normally found at PreraceJitters.com, writing about the fast life of track and field.
Everyone in the track world is talking about Usain “Lightening” Bolt. He shut ‘em down—literally! Bolt quieted his critics with a 9.72 seconds World Record performance with World Champion Tyson Gay in the race. Tyson Gay looked in good shape for this time of season running 9.85, which was good enough for second. Doesn’t that sound crazy? Bolt is now the favorite in Beijing, but two months is certainly a long time from now.
You could call it the law of averages. The Jeremy Wariner vs. LaShawn Merritt race in Berlin resulted in the end of Wariner’s winning streak that dates back to 2005. Merritt was superb. He executed a perfect race strategy to deliver the win. Before the media writes the early demise of Wariner, it should be noted that he isn’t in top shape, not yet—that will be in Beijing.
IAAF May Change Doping Rules
AP writer Raf Casert has reported that the IAAF is considering the possibility if changing its doping rules in the wake of the Trevor Graham trial. Olympic gold medalist Antonio Pettigrew admitted to having doped since 1997 which would have put him beyond the reach of the current IAAF doping rules. Current IAAF doping rules stipulate that retroactive sanctions can only go back 8 years.
More: WRAL
Wariner Says Golden League Schedule Will Benefit Him
Defending Olympic 400m Gold Medalist Jeremy Wariner has mapped out an ambitious season for himself. He wants to win another gold medal or two (400m and 4×400m relay), break Michael Johnson’s 400m world record of 43.18 and, to top it all off, he wants to win the million dollar Golden League jackpot. He’s got his work cut out for himself, but, according to an article by the Press Association, the 24-year-old Waco, Texas resident believes the timing of the Golden League events will benefit him. “We felt it was a great opportunity to get some competitions in before then (the US trials and Olympics)… It will allow myself to prepare mentally and physically for both big contests.”
More: Press Association
Jordan Hasay Eyes 3200m 4-Peat
Mission Prep (San Luis Obispo, CA) junior Jordan Hasay is going for a 3-peat of the 3200m California state title this weekend. But the ambitious 16-year-old runner is already contemplating doing something no other California high schooler has ever done: winning the state title in the 3200m run 4 years in a row.
Times Press Recorder, CA
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Gatlin Hearing Concludes Today
Justin Gatlin’s hearing before the CAS concludes today in New York City. Gatlin hopes to have his 4-year suspension for a doping violation reduced to 2 years. If that happens, Gatlin would be eligible to compete at the US Olympic Trials which begin next month in Eugene, Oregon.
More: IHT
Nation’s fastest Preps to Compete in California State High School Championships
Ten of the fastest high school athletes in the United States are set to compete in this weekend’s California State High School Championships at Falcon Stadium, Cerritos College. Among the favorites are German Fernandez, who has the fastest 1600m/3200m times in the nation (4:05.57 and 8:45.08), as well as Christine Babcock, who ripped off an outstanding 4:35.57 1600m last week.
More: CIS
NCAA Division I Regional Meets to Be Held This weekend
The 4 NCAA Division I Regional meets will be held this weekend, May 30th and 31st, 2008. The East Regionals will be held at the Mike Long Track at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. The University of Arkansas hosts the Mid East Regional meet at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Midwest Regionals are at The University of Nebraska’s Ed Weir Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. The West Regional meet will be run on the Cal State Northridge Track in Northridge, California. The winners from these meets will advance to the 2008 NCAA Championships which will be held in Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa from June 11th through the 14th.
More: NCAA
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Trevor Graham Trial to Begin This Week
The trial of Marion Jones’ former coach, Trevor Graham, begins this week in a San Francisco, CA federal court room. Several prominent names expected to take the stand as prosecution witness include Antonio Pettigrew, Jerome Young, Calvin Harrison and Dennis Mitchell.
More: HeraldNet, WA
Sebastian Coe: Get These People Out Of Our Sport
Lord Sebastian Coe, a vice-president of the IAAF and one of the best middle-distance runners of all time is not pleased with Dwain Chambers’ attempt to get back into track & field, saying, “The way we move away from it [the drugs issue] is we have got to get these people out of our sport. I don’t recognise a particularly principled stand in the last few days.”
More: Times Online, UK
Wariner Not Too Concerned About Tight Hamstring
Despite a timid start because of soreness in his hamstring, Jeremy Wariner predicts that he will be ready to “run with everybody else” by the time he toes the line at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene next month.
More: Reuters
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Vlasic Aims For Gold, Record At Beijing Olympics
World champion high jumper Blanca Vlasic from Croatia , whose aim is to win the gold medal in the Beijing Olympics high jump, also has her sights on another goal, saying, “I would say it is possible that I could win the gold in Beijing with a world record.”
Read more at: [Reuters]
Michael Johnson “Shocked” By Bolt’s 100m Time
After Jamaica’s fabulous early-season time of 9.76 seconds in the 100m dash at the Jamaica International Invitational, legendary sprinter Michael Johnson said, “Usain said he was shocked. I’m shocked too.” Even so, he advised Bolt “not to get too carried away with the performance.”
Read more at: [Caribbean Net News, Cayman Islands]
Great News From Ann Gaffigan’s Training Camp
Ann Gaffigan, the former American-record holder in the 3000m steeplechase, has published a new blog post that ha some great news for the runner who has had her share of bad news over the past year or two. Despite having a bad race lately (she trained through it) she writes that “my workouts have been better than ever before, yes I felt like my old self at the Mt. SAC Relays, yes my iron levels are high, my heart rate is low, my speed is good and my strength even better.”
Read more at: [Steeplechics]
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IAAF World Championships Event Reports/Previews
You can read up on all of the happenings in the World Indoor Championships by going to the IAAF’s Valencia ‘08 website. So far, gold medals have gone to Christian Cantwell (USA) in the men’s shot put, Angela Williams (US) in the women’s 60m dash, Tia Hellebaut (BEL) in the women’s […]
Epic Battle Shaping Up Between Pistorius and IAAF
Armed with a new set of results that contradicts the IAAF’s, Oscar Pistorius is confident about winning the appeal of his suspension. The IAAF is standing by their decision.
Read more at: [Times Online, UK][Sports Illustrated]
IAAF Defends Dwain Chambers
The IAAF is defending drug cheat Dwain Chambers’ right to compete. […]
IAAF Gives Track Fans A Chance to Chat Live With World-Class Athletes
The IAAF has a new feature on their website - you an now chat live with world-class athletes such as Yelena Isinbayeva, who will be available to chat this Wednesday, March 5th, 2008 from 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM (New York Time).
Read more at: […]
Beamon: 30 Foot Jump Coming “Sooner Than You Think”
The 61-year-old Bob Beamon, the namesake for the word “Beamonesque” after breaking the long jump world record in Mexico City in 1968 by a staggering 21 3/4″, told reporters this week that a 30 foot jump is possible. “I feel 30 feet is there,” Beamon said. “It’s […]
Heavy News Day At IAAF Website
The folks at the IAAF website have been busy today. There are 9 news items for you to read, including an article about the 51 USA athletes going to the world championships, plus profiles of the Chinese, Italian, Moroccan and German contingents.
Read more at: [USA][China][Italy][Morocco][Germany][IAAF]
World Indoor Championships: Greek Team Profile
The […]
Four-time IAAF World Half-Marathon medalist Susan Chepkemei has been sanctioned for a doping violation, the IAAF reported yesterday. In an out-of-competition test in Kenya last September, Chepkemei’s sample returned a positive result for Salbutamol, a medication commonly prescribed for breathing problems, usually asthma.
Indeed, according to Valentijn Trouw of Global Sports Communications, the Dutch management […]
Coe: Track & Field Can’t Survive Another Drug Scandal
Double Olympic gold medalist Sebastian Coe said that another scandal could wreck the sport of track & field, saying, “we cannot have another five years like the one we’ve just been through because I’m not sure the sport would survive that.”
Read more at: [The Age]
Oregon High Schooler […]
Asafa: 80% Chance He’s Race Thursday
Asafa Powell, still healing after cutting his knee, says he is “70 to 80″ percent sure he start in Thursday’s Melbourne Grand Prix. He also wants a lifetime ban for drug cheats, against whom he says he’s certain to run in Beijing.
Read more at: [Melbourne Herald Sun][Jamaica Gleaner]
Central Florida: New […]
Pistorius Launches Appeal
Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee (both legs below the knees) who was banned from competing against able-bodied athletes by the IAAF because they were said to offer him a physiological advantage, has launched an appeal with the Court of Arbitration of Sport. His goal is to qualify for the Olympics in the 400m […]
UK Athletics Allows Chambers to Compete But Is Not Happy About It
UK Athletics, the governing body of British Track & Field will allow previously-banned sprinter Dwain Chambers to compete in the IAAF World Indoor Championships. The relented after Chambers threatened a lawsuit; however, they are not happy about it and have issued a strongly-worded statement […]
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