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Celestine Chepchirchir

Kenyan marathon runner Celestine Chepchirchir has been banned for three years for doping. The 28-year-old tested positive for the prohibited substance testosterone. She submitted a urine sample from an out-of-competition in Kapsabet, Kenya.

Chepchirchir was initially assessed a four-year suspension, however, the term was reduced by one year for early admission.

In April 2022, she ran 2:20:10 in Seoul, Korea finishing fourth. Her half-marathon best is 1:08:35 from Paris 2018. In December 2023, she ran 2:20:46 in Valencia and again finished fourth.

Zerfe Wondemagegn

Zerfe Wondemagegn of Ethiopia has been handed a five-year doping ban for testing positive for EPO and testosterone.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) report that a Dr. Azrat sent multiple email messages to the AIU explaining that she had suffered a kidney infection, severe menstrual bleeding and anemia. He wrote that she did not know what medication was given to her. The AIU maintains that she intentionally doped and therefore was handed the ban. Her ban was increased from the standard four years to five years for the “aggravating circumstance,” of testing positive for multiple substances.

The 21-year-old 3000-metre steeplechase specialist has run as fast as 9:04.61, which she accomplished in Firenze, Italy in June last year. She competed in the Tokyo Olympic Games and Budapest World Athletics Championships finishing eighth and fourth, respectively.

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