Lance Armstrong has been banned from running the Chicago Marathon. Race director Carey Pinkowski said, “I have had no direct contact from Lance or anyone representing him. We had some indication from his charity (Livestrong) that Lance might have been interested in running.”
The disgraced cyclist was banned from the sport after her chose not to contest performance enhancing charges against him by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Under USA Track & Field rules, banned athletes in other sports are prohibited from running the Chicago, Boston and New York Marathon.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Pinkowski learned Armstrong was interested in running the Chicago or New York Marathon on Thursday at a charity operations meeting before deciding with New York and Boston race director that they would uphold the WADA rules.
Despite not being allowed to run the Chicago Marathon, Livestrong will continue its association with the race. “They are one of our strongest charities,” Pinkowski said. “They will have 250 participants this year. We will continue to support the charity and its efforts.”
A German track official was killed at a youth meet when he was struck by a javelin. 74-year old Dieter Strack was accidentally speared in the throat by a 15-year old competitor while officiating the youth track meet. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead on arrival due to loss of blood.
In the United State high school students javelin is not a track and field event. In 2007, a French long jumper was injured at a track meet in Rome but survived.
Oscar Pistorius could become the first amputee runner to compete in the Olympics this summer in London. The double-amputee advanced to the 400-meter final at the South African Championships but fell short of qualifying to the Olympics by two seconds. Pistorius ran the 400 meters in 47.28 seconds finishing seventh in windy conditions.
The South African Track and Field Association requires Olympians to run the 400 meters in under 45.3 seconds. Pistorius is the only South African runner to have one qualifying run, finishing the 400 meters in 45.20 last month and has until June to qualify for the 2012 Games.
Pistorius was born with congenital absence of the fibula in both legs, which were amputated when he was only 11 months old. It was until 2004 that Pistorius began running after a knee injury from rugby.
Nicknamed Blade Runner, Pistorius remains hopeful for London. “I’m flirting a little bit with the idea,” Pistorius told The Associated Press. “The team still has to get selected. My job is just to work hard until then and prove I’m in the right condition to be quite a strong 400 meter athlete if I get called up.”
