Russia sending 29 athletes to track worlds on neutral team

FILE – First-placed Russia’ Mariya Lasitskene competes in the Women’s high jump during the IAAF Diamond League competition on September 6, 2019 in Brussels. (Photo by Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP)

MOSCOW — The suspended Russian track federation is sending a team of 29 competitors to the world championships in Qatar, where they will compete as neutral athletes.

High jumper Mariya Lasitskene is the only reigning world champion among the group. Lasitskene has jumped a world leading 2.06 meters this season but has failed to clear 2 meters at four of her last five events.

Other medal contenders include Sergei Shubenkov, the 2015 world champion in the 110-meter hurdles, and high jumpers Mikhail Akimenko and Ilya Ivanyuk.

Many Russian athletes with past doping bans were not cleared to compete, including race walker Elena Lashmanova, the world leader in the 20-kilometer event this year.