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The fastest high school sprinter in history is suing Gatorade, claiming the company gave him a fraudulently certified product that contained a banned substance and led to his four-year banishment from track and field, costing him a chance to compete in the Paris Olympics.

Issam Asinga, the Surinamese teenager who set the under-20 world record in the 100 meters, said that when Gatorade honored him as its high school track and field athlete of the year in July 2023, it provided a gift basket that included Gatorade Recovery Gummies. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, the 19-year-old Asinga claims those gummies are the reason he later tested positive for the banned substance GW1516, which led to a four-year ban this May and stripped him of his record. The suit further claims the company took measures to protect its reputation, damaging Asinga’s in the process.

Asinga filed suit in the Southern District of New York against Gatorade and Pepsi Co., its parent company. He is seeking, according to the lawsuit, to “recoup the millions of dollars he has lost in economic opportunities, as well as compensation for the devastating emotional harm he has suffered.”

In an emailed statement, a Gatorade spokesperson said: “The product in question is completely safe and the claims made are false. … Gatorade products are FDA compliant and safe for athlete consumption, which was validated by the findings of the Athletics Integrity Unit investigation.”

Were he eligible, Asinga could have competed for Suriname at the Paris Olympics, earning potentially millions on a sponsorship deal. Instead, he is banned from the Games and lost his endorsement opportunity. The suspension also will prohibit him from training with or competing his college teammates at Texas A&M, and despite support from his coaches, Asinga believes he could lose his scholarship.

“You’re either guilty or you’re not,” Asinga said in a Zoom interview alongside his lawyers. “I know I’m not, so I’ve got to chase my dream. I’ve got two Olympian parents; I was born to run. Am I going to destroy my dream because of something I didn’t do, or am I going to keep fighting until the end?”

‘I was honored when they told me to get tested’

Asinga grew up in Atlanta, went to a St. Louis boarding school, lived a couple of years in his mother’s native Zambia, went to high school in Florida and currently attends Texas A&M. He is the son of track and field Olympians: His mother, Ngozi, competed for Zambia, and his father, Tommy, once served as the flag bearer for Suriname.

By the summer of 2023, Asinga had become one of the world’s most promising track athletes. That April, he stunned the track world by beating world champion Noah Lyles in a 100-meter race in Florida with a wind-aided time of 9.83 seconds.

Asinga chose to compete under the flag of Suriname. In a Zoom interview Wednesday, as he described the effect of his son’s suspension on his home country, Tommy began to cry.

“I felt like I had more of an opportunity to make a difference running for Suriname,” Issam Asinga said. “In Suriname, the one thing that’s holding them back is the facilities. They don’t have someone who can make that difference. I can use whatever I do in my track career to help better this country.”

Gatorade named him its 2023 Florida boys’ track and field player of the year and invited him to a July 11 ceremony in Los Angeles. One month before the ceremony, according to the lawsuit, Asinga took a drug test that came back clean.

“I was honored when they told me to get tested,” Asinga said. “I was like, ‘Okay, bet!’ That’s how I know I’m going somewhere.”

At a gathering the day before the awards ceremony, Gatorade gave Asinga and other athletes a gift bag that included cherry-flavored Gatorade Recovery Gummies. The container was stamped as “NSF Certified for Sport.” NSF is an independent public health organization.

According to the lawsuit, Asinga’s mother texted Issam’s coach, Gerald Phiri, a photo of the ingredient label and asked, “Is this ok to eat[?]”

When Ngozi showed him a picture of the Gatorade logo, Phiri wrote back: “Oh yea these are both fine. Gatorade doesn’t make products that are against sporting rules.”

For the next two weeks, according to the lawsuit, Asinga took two gummies after his workouts. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the drug-testing arm of World Athletics, tested him again July 18.

Asinga stopped taking the gummies “on or around” July 25, according to the lawsuit. On July 28, Asinga ran the 100 meters in 9.89 seconds at a meet in São Paulo, Brazil. This time, the wind was legal: He had broken the under-20 world record. The AIU tested him again on that day, and that July 28 test would come back clean.

On Aug. 9, 2023, the AIU informed Asinga he had failed the July 18 drug test. Picograms of GW1516 had been detected in his urine. When Asinga received the call, he said, he dropped to his knees in shock.

“It was devastating,” Asinga said. “It was the worst day of my life.”

Known as cardarine, GW1516 was originally developed as a potential treatment for obesity and alters how the body metabolizes fat, according the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. It is illegal for use in food or medication. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency notes in its handbook, “athletes should be aware, however, that dietary supplements may be contaminated with this compound.”

Asinga and his lawyer, Paul Greene, who specializes in defending athletes accused of performance-enhancing drug use, compiled a list of foods and supplements he had consumed that could be tested for GW1516. They included the Gatorade gummies.

“We kind of laughed it off,” Asinga said. “It was the last thing I would have thought this source would have been in. This brand is something I’ve looked up to my whole life. Gatorade is a part of sports.”

Asinga sent the gummies to the same lab, according to the lawsuit. On Oct. 26, 2023, according to the lawsuit, the lab notified the AIU that “preliminary findings” concluded the Gatorade gummies had been contaminated with GW1516.

When a company produces a dietary supplement that requires certification, it makes them in numbered lots so each lot can be tracked in case of contamination. By federal regulation, it must keep samples of each lot.

According to the lawsuit, further testing at the Utah lab confirmed not only the GW1516 contamination in the gummies Asinga had supplied; it also showed the same baseline concentration of GW1516 that had been detected in Asinga’s drug test. The chemical codes matched. The lab provided those analytical results to the AIU.

According to the AIU decision, the lab noted “two unusual aspects.” There was a “large discrepancy in the findings between the two containers of the Gatorade Recovery Gummies” and the contamination was present on the surface of the gummy rather than uniformly distributed.

The lab concluded “it was not possible to rule out deliberate adulteration of the product after it was opened,” the decision read.

Asinga’s lawyers said it defies belief that Asinga could have adulterated the gummies.

“All of them would have had to have been dipped individually in a formula that would have been watered to a trillionth of a gram,” Greene said. “An 18-year-old kid living in a dorm would have had to have done that. It’s almost laughable that that’s what he was accused of doing.”

According to the lawsuit, Asinga again contacted Gatorade and requested a sealed bottle from the 22092117150234 lot.

According to the lawsuit, Gatorade instead sent a bottle of recovery gummies to the AIU from a different lot. That lot had been tested by NSF and was accurately labeled as such, according to the lawsuit. The NSF, in a a public notice issued in early June, said the container in Asinga’s case came from an allotment it had not tested.

“They did a bait-and-switch,” said Alexis Chardon, the lawyer representing Asinga in court. “They said, ‘We don’t have a sealed supplement of the one we gave Issam. But we have this other one. Why don’t you take this one?’ That one was NSF tested. And then they let that lie fester.”

“Gatorade fully complied with the Athletics Integrity Unit investigation, including producing evidence that was accepted by the AIU that the gummies were not contaminated with the banned substance in their original ruling,” a Gatorade spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

When the AIU tested the gummies from that container, the results came back clean, according to the lawsuit. Once the AIU received those tests, it handed down its four-year ban to Asinga.

“Gatorade created, fed, and encouraged the false narrative that Issam was given ‘clean’ gummies and therefore Issam had adulterated the ones he got tested,” the lawsuit reads.

Attempting to restore a reputation

On June 14, less than two weeks after the NSF released its public notice about Gatorade, Asinga received what he hoped would be a breakthrough: A representative from the AIU called Greene and told him Gatorade had found and sent a sealed bottle from the same lot as Asinga’s bottle of recovery gummies. If that bottle was tainted with GW1516, it would be pivotal to overturning Asinga’s suspension.

The tests came back negative, according to the lawsuit.

Feeling “confused,” according to the lawsuit, Asinga contacted other athletes from the 2023 awards ceremony and found one who had a similar bottle of recovery gummies. When that bottle was tested for GW1516, according to the lawsuit, it also came back negative.

“For a while, it looked like we dug ourselves in deeper,” Chardon said.

According to the lawsuit, Asinga’s team had one more idea: On June 26, they asked for his original recovery gummies to be retested. They wondered whether the GW1516 had become undetectable over the previous six months.

On July 5, according to the lawsuit, the results came back: The gummies that once had tested positive now returned a negative result.

“Gatorade’s delay had cost Issam the possibility of proving contamination in a sealed container from the same lot he had ingested, robbing him of the possibility of ever meeting the AIU’s gold standard test for showing innocent ingestion of a banned substance,” the lawsuit reads.

In a statement, Gatorade said it “spent those months looking for the specific lot number in the field and, once sourced, immediately provided the product to the AIU.”

Because GW1516 is illegal, Greene said, scant testing has been done on it. Greene is hoping to organize lab tests that can prove GW1516 could become undetectable over the six months. He hopes to use that finding in his Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal later this year.

The lawsuit against Gatorade made Wednesday “one of the first days I can say I’m actually taking a deep breath and let it out a little bit,” Ngozi said. “As a parent, it’s so overwhelming. You never in a million years expect your child to be fighting for his character and his integrity because of something he didn’t do.”

Over the past month, Asinga lost his final glimmer of hope that he could run in the Paris Olympics. He has remained optimistic that he will sprint next year for Texas A&M. He has cried and felt depressed at times. Over the winter, he stopped practicing for several days and wondered whether track was worth it. He still believes he will prevail.

“It hurts,” Asinga said. “There’s been some bad days. The clouds might be over us. But they’re going to have to clear eventually.”

Some victories are measured by finish times. Others are defined by the obstacles overcome simply to reach the starting line.

For American Paralympic swimmer Ali Truwit, completing the New York City Marathon represented far more than covering 26.2 miles. It was the culmination of an extraordinary journey of survival, resilience, and unwavering determination that began with a life-altering shark attack just two years earlier.

On a crisp November morning in 2025, Truwit crossed the iconic finish line wearing a carbon-fibre running blade, fulfilling a promise she had made while recovering in a hospital bed after losing her lower left leg. The emotional milestone marked another remarkable chapter in one of the most inspiring comeback stories in modern sport.

The road to that unforgettable finish began only days after Truwit celebrated a major personal achievement. In May 2023, she completed her first marathon in Copenhagen alongside her mother. Just ten days later, while enjoying a graduation trip to Turks and Caicos with former Yale swimming teammate Sophie Pilkinton, tragedy struck.

While the pair were snorkelling, a shark attacked Truwit, severely injuring her left leg. Displaying remarkable courage, the two swam approximately 55 metres back to their boat, where Pilkinton—then a medical student—quickly applied a tourniquet that stopped the bleeding and ultimately saved Truwit's life.

Doctors were forced to amputate her lower left leg on her 23rd birthday.

Even in the darkest moments of recovery, Truwit's determination never disappeared. Reflecting on having recently completed her first marathon, she joked with one of the first responders that at least she had managed to run a marathon before the attack. The responder's simple but powerful reply would remain with her throughout rehabilitation: "You'll run another one."

Those words became a source of hope during the long and demanding road back.

Only weeks after surgery, Truwit began learning to walk on a prosthetic limb before gradually returning to the swimming pool. The process was anything but straightforward. The water that had once been her sanctuary became a source of painful memories, yet she refused to allow fear to define her future.

Her relentless work ethic soon produced extraordinary results.

Less than 16 months after the attack, Truwit represented the United States at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, producing a sensational performance to claim both silver and bronze medals. Standing on the Paralympic podium was a powerful reminder of how far she had come in such a short period, and she dedicated those achievements to everyone who had helped save her life.

Still, another dream remained unfinished.

The New York City Marathon carried deep personal significance. It was not merely another endurance event but a symbolic return to the city where her life had changed forever. On November 2, 2025, she lined up in Staten Island accompanied by 13 family members and close friends, all proudly representing her nonprofit foundation, Stronger Than You Think. Among them was Pilkinton, the friend whose quick thinking had preserved her life on that unforgettable day in the Caribbean.

Together, they covered every mile of the marathon before celebrating an emotional finish that Truwit later described as being "over the moon."

Completing a marathon on a carbon-fibre running blade presents challenges far beyond those faced by able-bodied runners. The prosthetic demands greater strength from the hips, core, and remaining leg while requiring exceptional balance, coordination, and endurance. Truwit's preparation combined months of disciplined training, patience, and mental resilience as she effectively taught herself how to run again.

Her story extends well beyond medals and marathon finishes.

Inspired by her own recovery, Truwit founded Stronger Than You Think, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to helping individuals overcome physical and financial barriers following limb loss. Recognising that sports prosthetics can cost tens of thousands of dollars and are often not covered by insurance, the foundation provides financial assistance for prosthetic devices, supports water-safety education, and promotes opportunities within Paralympic sport.

The organisation has already helped provide more than 11 prosthetic limbs, delivered nearly $200,000 in direct support, and funded over 4,000 hours of water-safety lessons benefiting more than 700 young people.

Throughout her journey, Truwit has remained refreshingly honest about the emotional challenges that continue to accompany recovery. She has openly acknowledged that healing is an ongoing process and that grief can still come in waves. Rather than portraying an effortless comeback, she has demonstrated that resilience is built through persistence, even on the hardest days.

Her remarkable transformation resonates far beyond elite sport. While few people will ever experience the trauma she endured, countless runners and athletes understand the frustration of injury, disappointment, or rebuilding after adversity. Truwit's journey serves as a powerful reminder that recovery is rarely linear and that courage is often measured by the willingness to keep moving forward despite uncertainty.

Now looking ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games, Truwit continues to redefine what is possible. She is no longer known simply as the swimmer who survived a shark attack. She has become a Paralympic medallist, marathon finisher, advocate, and symbol of resilience whose story continues to inspire athletes around the world.

Her journey proves that while life can change in an instant, so too can the strength of the human spirit. Sometimes the greatest triumph is not returning to the person you once were, but discovering someone even stronger than you ever imagined possible.

Sprint and hurdles superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has entered an exciting new chapter in her remarkable life, welcoming her first child with husband Andre Levrone. The four-time Olympic champion and women's 400m hurdles world record holder announced the birth of their daughter, Savannah Michelle Levrone, who was born on Sunday, July 12, 2026.

The couple shared the joyful news with an emotional message celebrating the arrival of their daughter and expressing gratitude to everyone who supported them throughout the pregnancy. Sydney described Savannah as "our blessing and our joy," while expressing excitement and faith for the future that lies ahead for their growing family.

The announcement marks a deeply personal milestone for one of the most accomplished athletes of her generation. Renowned for redefining the women's 400m hurdles through a succession of record-breaking performances, McLaughlin-Levrone now embraces a new role beyond the track as a mother.

The timing of the announcement adds another layer of significance. Just days earlier, Sydney reflected on the 10th anniversary of qualifying for her first Olympic Games at only 16 years old—a breakthrough that launched one of the most decorated careers in modern athletics. Ten years later, her journey has come full circle with another life-changing milestone, underscoring that her greatest moments continue to extend beyond sporting success.

The arrival of Savannah Michelle Levrone has been met with an outpouring of congratulations from athletes, fans, and the wider sporting community, who have celebrated the couple as they begin this new chapter together. As Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone steps into motherhood, the athletics world will undoubtedly continue to follow her inspiring journey—both on and off the track.

Ethiopia's Tsige Gebreselama produced one of the standout road running performances of the season on Sunday, storming to victory at the prestigious Boilermaker Road Race 15K in Utica, New York, with a sensational course record of 47:29.

From the opening kilometers, Gebreselama controlled the race with remarkable composure and precision, maintaining a relentless pace that ultimately erased the previous course record and secured one of the fastest performances ever recorded on the historic course. Her commanding display further reinforced her reputation as one of the world's leading road and distance runners.

The Ethiopian celebration continued as Melknat Wudu crossed the finish line in second place in 47:44, completing a dominant one-two finish for her country. Kenya's Priscah Cherono claimed third in 48:14 after a determined effort, rounding out a world-class podium in a race featuring some of the finest distance runners on the international circuit.

The battle behind the podium remained fiercely competitive. Kenya's Everlyn Kemboi finished fourth in 48:28, narrowly ahead of compatriot Selah Busienei, who clocked 48:31 for fifth. Ethiopia's Netsanet Desta and Alem Nigus Tsadik followed in sixth and seventh respectively, while Kenya's Mercy Cherono secured eighth place.

American athletes also delivered encouraging performances on home roads. Veteran Stephanie Bruce finished ninth in 50:40, with Jackie Gaughan completing the top ten in 51:02 to cap a strong showing for the host nation.

Boilermaker Road Race 15K – Women's Top 10 Results

1. Tsige Gebreselama (Ethiopia) – 47:29 (Course Record)

2. Melknat Wudu (Ethiopia) – 47:44

3. Priscah Cherono (Kenya) – 48:14

4. Everlyn Kemboi (Kenya) – 48:28

5. Selah Busienei (Kenya) – 48:31

6. Netsanet Desta (Ethiopia) – 48:46

7. Alem Nigus Tsadik (Ethiopia) – 48:48

8. Mercy Cherono (Kenya) – 50:23

9. Stephanie Bruce (United States) – 50:40

10. Jackie Gaughan (United States) – 51:02

The women's race combined exceptional depth with remarkable speed, as several athletes broke the 49-minute barrier in a contest that showcased the global strength of elite road running. Gebreselama's record-breaking run now stands as a new benchmark in the rich history of the Boilermaker 15K, adding another memorable chapter to one of the United States' most celebrated road races.

Kenya's Alex Matata delivered a sensational performance to claim the men's title at the prestigious Boilermaker Road Race 15K in Utica, New York, producing a dominant run that underlined his growing reputation as one of the world's finest road racers.

Matata surged to victory in an outstanding time of 42:24, mastering the demanding course with a display of strength, speed, and tactical brilliance. His commanding performance secured a memorable triumph in one of the United States' most celebrated road races, adding another significant international victory to his career.

Kenya's success was further highlighted by Kiprono Sitonik, who produced an equally impressive run to finish second in 42:53, completing a remarkable one-two finish for the East African nation. South Africa's Adam Lipschitz rounded out the podium after clocking 43:14 to claim third place following a determined effort.

The race featured a highly competitive international field, with American athletes Reid Buchanan and Hillary Bor finishing fourth and fifth respectively, while another Kenyan, Victor Shitsama, added to his country's strong showing by taking sixth place.

Matata's victory once again showcased Kenya's enduring strength in global road racing, as its athletes continued to dominate major international competitions through exceptional endurance, tactical awareness, and relentless finishing speed. His performance in Utica not only thrilled the spectators lining the streets but also reinforced the depth of Kenyan distance running on the world stage.

Men's Top 10 Results – Boilermaker Road Race 15K

1. Alex Matata (Kenya) – 42:24

2. Kiprono Sitonik (Kenya) – 42:53

3. Adam Lipschitz (South Africa) – 43:14

4. Reid Buchanan (United States) – 43:38

5. Hillary Bor (United States) – 43:40

6. Victor Shitsama (Kenya) – 44:02

7. Futsum Zienasellassie (United States) – 44:32

8. Charlie Sweeney (United States) – 44:37

9. Sam Lawler (United States) – 44:54

10. Tyler Berg (United States) – 45:08

With another major road racing title added to his résumé, Alex Matata continued his impressive 2026 campaign while reinforcing his status as one of the leading names on the international road racing circuit. The Boilermaker 15K once again delivered a high-quality contest, with athletes from across the globe producing memorable performances in one of the United States' most prestigious road races.

Eliud Kipchoge's remarkable World Tour continued on Brazilian soil as the Kenyan marathon icon completed the New Balance 42K Porto Alegre Marathon, crossing the finish line in 2:18:39 to place 12th overall during the second stop of his ambitious seven-continent global running tour.

Competing against a strong international field, the two-time Olympic marathon champion displayed the resilience and determination that have defined his legendary career. While the result was not among the victories that have made him one of the greatest marathon runners in history, Kipchoge once again demonstrated the unwavering commitment that continues to inspire athletes and fans across the globe.

Morocco's Zineddine Ouria claimed victory in a superb 2:08:49, with Kipchoge finishing 9 minutes and 50 seconds behind the race winner after navigating the demanding course in Porto Alegre.

Kipchoge began the race with controlled and confident pacing, reaching 5km in 15:34 before passing the halfway mark in 1:05:07. As the race entered its decisive stages, the pace gradually slowed, but the veteran marathoner pressed on with characteristic determination, completing the 42.195-kilometre challenge in 2:18:39.

For many, the story will be told through the finishing position. But for those who truly understand greatness, this journey is about far more than medals, records, or podium finishes. Kipchoge's World Tour is a celebration of the sport itself—an opportunity to connect with runners across every continent, inspire the next generation, and continue living by the philosophy that has become synonymous with his career: "No Human Is Limited."

The Brazilian appearance also carried added significance, coming shortly after Kipchoge was permanently honoured in Porto Alegre with his footprints unveiled at the entrance of Parque Harmonia—a lasting tribute to his extraordinary impact on distance running and his enduring legacy in the sport.

Once a champion. Forever an inspiration. Legends do not stop inspiring when the victories become fewer; they inspire because they never stop showing up. Through every stride, every finish line, and every challenge embraced, Kipchoge continues to prove that true greatness is measured not only by what an athlete wins, but by the lives they touch along the way.

With the second stop of his World Tour now complete, Kipchoge will turn his attention to the next chapter of his global adventure when he lines up at the Melbourne Marathon in Australia this October. Wherever he races, millions will once again follow the journey of a man whose legacy extends far beyond the stopwatch.