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Genzebe Dibaba, 1500m world record holder, to miss world championships

By OlympicTalkSep 18, 2019, 8:21 PM EDT
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Genzebe Dibaba, the 1500m world record holder, will miss the world track and field championships that start next week due to a right foot injury, according to her agency.

The Ethiopian Dibaba lowered the 1500m world record to 3:50.07 in 2015, then won the world title a month later. Kenyan Faith Kipyegon relegated her to silver at the Rio Olympics. Dibaba was last in the 12-woman final at the 2017 Worlds, then withdrew from the 5000m at that meet, citing illness.

Dibaba’s absence further opens the door for Americans Shelby Houlihan (second-fastest in the world last year) and Jenny Simpson, the Olympic bronze medalist and 2017 World silver medalist.

Ethiopian-born Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan is fastest in the world this year and broke the mile world record on July 12. Hassan has range from 800m through 10,000m, and it’s not guaranteed she will contest the 1500m in Doha starting with the first round Oct. 2.

The event is already lacking Caster Semenya, the two-time Olympic 800m champion who took bronze in her world 1500m debut in 2017. Semenya is excluded from races from 400m through the mile under the IAAF’s new rule capping testosterone in those events.

MORE: U.S. roster for track and field worlds

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World champion, Olympic medalist to miss 1500m at track worlds

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By OlympicTalkSep 17, 2019, 8:52 AM EDT
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Reigning world champion Elijah Manangoi and two-time Olympic medalist Nick Willis will be absent from the 1500m at the world track and field championships that start next week in Doha.

The Kenyan Manangoi is out with a reported ankle injury.

Willis, the 2008 Olympic silver medalist and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist from New Zealand, will miss worlds for the first time since 2009 after not receiving an invitation from the IAAF, according to New Zealand’s track federation. The 36-year-old did not run a fast enough time this year to qualify outright and was not ranked high enough to receive any extra spots awarded by the IAAF in the 1500m.

Kenya is still favored to win despite lacking Manangoi and the suspended Asbel Kiprop, who won three straight world titles from 2011-15.

That’s because of Timothy Cheruiyot, the 2017 World silver medalist who lost just three times over the last two years, taking second to Manangoi in each instance, according to Tilastopaja.org.

The U.S. contingent at worlds is led by Matthew Centrowitz, who in Rio became the first U.S. Olympic 1500m champion in 108 years.

MORE: U.S. roster for track and field worlds

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Alysia Montaño to receive medals several years after being cheated out of them

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By OlympicTalkSep 17, 2019, 8:12 AM EDT
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More: Olympics

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U.S. 800m runner Alysia Montaño will receive her first world outdoor track and field championships medals, six and nine years after being cheated out of them.

Montaño will be in Doha for the world championships that start next week, not to compete but to be given bronze medals from the 2011 and 2013 World Championships, according to her social media.

Montaño crossed the finish line fourth in each of those world 800m finals. Russian Maria Savinova, an original gold and silver medalist in those respective races, was retroactively stripped of those medals (and her 2012 Olympic title) years later for doping. That cleared the way for Montaño’s upgrade.

“I always give everything I’ve got, and in track and field that has also been the case,” was posted on Montaño’s Instagram. “Everything I had I left it out there, I have no regrets, used all of the power in me to come up with the best possible result for all my true, honest hard work and over a decades time worth of dedication. From 2007-2016 I had the ultimate displeasure of racing against dopers who ultimately dominated the top of the scoreboard. These athletes who were doping stole precious moments and money from clean athletes including me, who never got the outdoor podium moment that I earned. -The [IAAF] took monetary bribes from the athletes that were doping at the time to cover up theirs failed results, if it were not for whistle blower Yulia Stepanova who secretly recorded her teammates as they explained their operation, what they took and how they got away with it, I would not have the opportunity to stand on and receive my podium moment and my medals that I honestly earned.”

Montaño, 33 and a 2012 Olympian, last competed at the 2017 USATF Outdoor Championships, placing seventh in her first-round heat while five months pregnant.

MORE: U.S. roster for track and field worlds

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