Tributes have flowed for United States runner Gabriele Grunewald, who died in Minneapolis on Tuesday from complications of cancer at the age of 32. Grunewald inspired thousands by chronicling on social media her battle with a rare form of cancer of the salivary gland. She continuing to compete at a world class level long after being diagnosed. Her death was announced on Instagram by her husband Justin. "I always felt like the Robin to your Batman and know I will never be able to feel this gaping hole in my heart or fill the shoes you have left behind," Justin wrote. "To everyone else from all ends of the earth, Gabriele heard your messages and was so deeply moved." Three years after her initial cancer diagnosis, Grunewald finished fourth at the US Olympic trials in 2012, narrowly missing a spot on the team for the London Games. She did, however, represent the US at the 2014 world indoor championships. She also competed at the 2016 US Olympic trials. World marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe was among those saddened by Grunewald's plight. "The bravery, heart and smile of @gg_runs will always shine brightly and inspire so many," Radcliffe tweeted on Sunday when news broke that Grunewald's death was imminent. Kenyan banned after positive test for rat poison substance Kenyan marathon runner Felix Kirwa has been suspended for nine months after testing positive for strychnine, a substance sometimes used as rat poison. The athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said Kirwa would be banned until Nov. 14 and was disqualified from his second-place finish at the Singapore marathon last December. Kirwa, who won the Singapore marathon in 2016, said he had been taking herbal medicines that included the banned substance and the AIU said the presence of strychnine in his sample was consistent with that explanation. Strychnine is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list because it is a stimulant. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries it was used in small doses as an athletic performance enhancer and recreational stimulant. Kenya, known for its middle and long-distance running pedigree, has suffered serious damage to its reputation due to a number of doping violations in recent years. In the past five years, about 50 Kenyan athletes have been sanctioned, including former Boston and Chicago Marathon winner Rita Jeptoo and 2016 Olympic marathon champion Jemima Sumgong. Three-times world 1,500 meters champion and 2008 Olympic gold medalist Asbel Kiprop was banned for four years in April for failing a doping test in November, 2017. Russian athletics official faces doping ban, says federation A senior Russian athletics official is facing a ban for a suspected anti-doping violation, the country's suspended athletics federation said on Wednesday. The federation said first vice president Andrei Silnov, gold medalist in the high jump at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, had been suspended and would face a hearing on Friday for a "possible violation of anti-doping rules." In comments carried by TASS news agency, Silnov said he had received a letter from the athletics Integrity Unit, which oversees doping in international athletics, that said he was being investigated. He declined to disclose the nature of the alleged anti-doping violation, said TASS, which did not report his response to the allegation. The federation did not disclose the possible violation either. Reuters last week reported that two Russian athletics coaches and one doctor banned for doping were still working with athletes. Russian anti-doping agency RUSADA, the Russian sports ministry and global athletics body IAAF have said the findings would be investigated. Russia's athletics federation was suspended in November 2015 after a report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found evidence of widespread doping in the sport. Despite the ban, some Russians — including two-time world champion high jumper Maria Lasitskene — have been cleared to compete internationally after demonstrating that they train in a doping-free environment. — Reuters
