by Alfonz JuckI have told my friends, that my dream is to do a track gossip column. They all say, please, we will subscribe. Well, EME News publishes ‘all the news that is fit to print’ (someone said that), on track and field. As we build up to London, we are happy to provide such info, as we list below here.
Please enjoy!
Usain Bolt’s spikes for the upcoming 100 meters, photo by PUMA communications
LONDON NEWS
LONDON (GBR): The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and UK Athletics (UKA) has announced their plans for a robust anti-doping programme at the World Championships which begin on Friday. More than 600 blood samples prior to the championships for the purpose of continuing to build Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) profiles will be collected and a further 600 urine tests will also be conducted on-site.
NAIROBI (KEN): Reigning world and Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha has pulled out of the World Championships due to injury. “It’s sad and disappointing to announce my no show in the forthcoming #london2017 WC due to a quad muscle strain,” he said on Twitter. Rudisha was aiming to claim his third 800m title in London.
NAIROBI (KEN): Olympic steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto has said he has recovered from an ankle injury which forced him to withdraw from two Diamond League events, informs The Star. “I am happy that I have been training well ahead of championships. The injury forced me to withdraw from the Diamond League in Rabat but I have since recovered. I hope this time round, I will perform better than the previous two championships,” said Kipruto, who has picked up two silver medals from the World Championships.
MOSCOW (RUS): All-Russia Athletic Federation president Dmitry Shlyakhtin will travel to London to attend the IAAF Congress on Thursday ahead of the World Championships, informs Reuters.
AMSTERDAM (NED): Churandy Martina has ended his season due to an injury sustained while competing at the Rabat Diamond League, informs NOS.
KAMPALA (UGA): Ugandan long distance runner Juliet Chekwel has pulled out of the World Championships due to a gluteus tear. She was due to compete in the 10,000m in London.
LISBON (POR): World record-holder Ines Henriques will focus on the 50km walk at the World Championships, informs the Record. “The most important thing was achieving a guaranteed entry for the 50km. I am training well and we will see how everything will go,” she said. Henriques has been training in Spain ahead of the championships.
TORONTO (CAN): Canadian World title defender in high jump Derek Drouin says he’s making steady progress from an Achilles injury for London Worlds. He hasn’t competed since June. “My coaches, IST [Integrated Support Team] and I decided it was in my best interest to take some time off to allow my Achilles to heal before slowly re-introducing some dynamic workouts into my training in the final stages before worlds,” Drouin told CBC Sports in an email.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Sprint superstar Usain Bolt is likely to head straight to the Jamaican team hotel in London ahead of the World Championships, while other top names, such as Omar McLeod and Hansle Parchment, are yet to arrive as management works to correct a number of logistical issues. Informs Jamaica Gleaner. An additional eight athletes, including members of the MVP Track Club, arrived in camp end of the week. The Gleaner also understands that hurdler Ricardo Cunningham is affected by passport issues and will also arrive late in the country.
ZHUKOVSKIY (RUS): Moscow 2013 World finalist in men discus throw Viktor Butenko (24) confessed he lost the shape before major event in London. “I cannot understand what is going wrong. My training results are about 57 m and I threw over 66 m few months ago. I’m self-coached now and it’s too difficult for me to find out what was happened. In any case, I stay optimistic after nationals, as I was able to fight and overcome 60. My main goal for London Worlds is to achieve final and to throw over 64m,” Butenko told R-Sport after being 3rd at National Championships with 61.40m.
BELGRADE (SRB): Serbia confirmed 3 men and 5 women for London World Championships. Top headliner is European indoor champion in long jump Ivana Spanovic.
