The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed 12 Russian doping positives in an announcement on 1 February, for offenses mostly during the 2012-14 period. Five of the 12 have filed appeals to the Court’s Appeals Arbitration Division:
● Lyukman Adams ~ Triple Jump: 2014 World Indoor Champion
● Ivan Ukhov ~ High Jump: 2012 Olympic Champion
● Yekaterina Galitskaya ~ 100 m Hurdles: 2012 Olympic semifinalist
● Yulia Kondakova. ~ 100 m Hurdles: 2012 Olympic semifinalist
● Svetlana Shkolina ~ High Jump: 2012 Olympic bronze medalist & 2013 World Champion
If the positives are confirmed for Ukhov and Shkolina, Americans Erik Kynard (possible gold) and Brigetta Barrett (possible silver) would move up in the 2012 Olympic results and Barrett would become the 2013 World Champion.
The Associated Press reported that no other appeals are expected from the other seven, including 2012 Olympic and 2013 World Hammer champ Tatyana Lysenko.
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Reuters reported that the USA Track & Field Board of Directors voted to maintain the suspension of elected USATF President Vin Lananna.
Technically on “temporary administrative leave,” Lananna was suspended after being interviewed by the U.S. Department of Justice a year ago as part of its ongoing probe of sports corruption.
Interim USATF President Michael Conley provided a statement to Reuters: “Based on what was heard (over the weekend) and in light of the recent grievances filed, the board was overwhelming in favor of tabling the issue. The board feels it remains prudent to follow the dispute resolution process prescribed by USATF bylaws.”
Lananna has filed a grievance with the Board, protesting his suspension. Attorney David Greifinger, one of those representing Lananna, told Gene Cherry of Reuters, “The idea that Vin is unable to serve because he was interviewed by Department of Justice attorneys over a year ago is absurd. It is an affront to the membership that elected him.”
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Reader Bob Hersh pointed out that the fourth-place finish by Maria Michta-Coffey in the women’s 3,000 m Walk at the USATF Indoor Nationals – after nine straight national titles in the event – had another aspect to it.
She’s five months pregnant.
Michta-Coffey and her husband, Joe Coffey, are expecting their first child in June.
Michta-Coffey was sixth at the Millrose Games in the Mile Walk, but managed fourth over the longer distance last weekend at the Nationals.
And while her streak of nine straight national titles was broken, she also has 42 other national titles to remember.
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On and inside the track, it was a busy weekend outside of the USATF Nationals in Staten Island, especially with U.S. collegiate conference meets and a great vaulting competition in France:
Men:
● At the Big 12 champs in Lubbock, Texas, Texas Tech junior Divine Oduduru (NGR) won the 60 m and 200 m in 6.52 and a world-leading 20.08, moving him to no. 3 all-time.
● At the American Conference meet in Birmingham, Alabama, Houston’s Kahmari Montgomery – the U.S. outdoor 400 m champ – ran a world-leading 45.04, moving him to no. 12 on the all-time indoor list.
● At the Boston University Last-Chance meet, Kenyan Edward Cheserek ran a world-leading 13:08.05 for the 5,000 m; that’s no. 20 on the all-time world list.
● In the Southeastern Conference Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, LSU frosh Mondo Duplantis (SWE) climbed over a world-leading 5.92 m (19-5), also a new collegiate indoor record. He tried 6.01 m (19-8 1/2), but missed three times.
● Two days later, a great vault meet in Clermont-Ferrand (FRA) saw both Piotr Lisek (POL) and Sam Kendricks of the U.S. clear 5.93 m (19-5 1/2) for another world leader, with Lisek winning on misses. Both tried and failed to clear 6.03 m (19-9 1/4).
Women:
● Ohio State sophomore Anavia Battle won the Big 10 200 meters in a world-leading 22.80, at the University of Michigan’s indoor track at Ann Arbor.
And while not a world leader, the top new star from this indoor season has been North Dakota State’s Payton Otterdahl and he set a collegiate record of 21.81 m (71-6 3/4) at the Summit League Championships in Brookings, South Dakota. That mark places him no. 10 on the all-time U.S. combined list. He broke the old mark of 21.73 m (71-3 1/2) held by two putters who became World and Olympic champs: Ryan Whiting of Arizona State (2008) and Ryan Crouser of Texas (2016).