09 May 2014 

The first stage of the IAAF Diamond League season kicked off in Doha this evening with five British athletes in action on the track and field.

Eilidh Child (coach: Malcolm Arnold) produced her fastest season opener, which saw her finish in third place in a time of 55.43. Child took the scalp of Olympic silver medallist Lashinda Demus on her way to claiming one Diamond League point.  

In her first outdoor track appearance since the Zurich Diamond League in September 2011, Jenny Meadows (Trevor Painter) finished in seventh place in a time of 2:00.91, while compatriot Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (Ayo Falola) clocked a massive lifetime best of 2:01.94 taking over a second and a half off her previous best.

Andrew Osagie (Craig Winrow), who went head-to-head with world champion Mohammad Aman and Olympic silver medallist Nijel Amos finished in eighth place in 1:46.08.

Brett Morse threw a best of 58.35m to finish ninth in the discus, an event won by world silver medallist Piotr Małachowski (66.72m). 

There was disappointment for Chris Tomlinson earlier on in the competition with the 32 year old failing to register a mark in the long jump.

Valerie Adams (shot put), David Oliver (110m hurdles), Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (100m), Ivan Ukhov (high jump), LaShawn Merritt (400m), Helen Obiri (3000m), Ezekiel Kemboi (3000m steeplechase) were among some of the victories in the 30 degree heat of Doha. 

The next stage of the IAAF Diamond League is in Shanghai on Sunday 18 May and you can catch the action on the BBC Red Button between 13:00-15:00  

The UK will welcome the IAAF Diamond League on two occasions this summer, with the world’s best athletes coming to the Sainsbury’s Glasgow Grand Prix on July 11-12 and the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix on August 24. For more information visit http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/british-athletics-series/home/