This is horrific. I'm not even gonna wish her a speedy recovery, I'm gonna wish her boyfriend a lifetime of hell. What a monster.
Shin splints and knee aches? Yeah, you're doing it wrong. First off, try to relax your upper body, you're probably tensing up like a noob. Then, focus on your foot strike - midfoot's the way to go, but don't try to force it, it'll come naturally with practice. And for god's sake, strengthen your ankles, they're probably as weak as your form.
Who cares about some island nations winning medals? Where's the beef? I want to read about running, not some feel-good fluff piece.