12 June 2015

Seven British female athletes will take centre stage at the IAAF Diamond League in New York this evening which also sees the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt competing over 200m. 

Isobel Pooley (coach: Fuzz Ahmed) will be aiming for the World Championships qualifying standard of 1.94m in New York after going agonizingly close at the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix last Sunday. The AFD athlete had a consistent series of jumps in the West Midlands jumping 1.91m and is enthusiastic ahead of her debut appearance at the US meeting. 

After two second places in the Rome and Doha Diamond League events, Shara Proctor (Rana Reider) will look to continue her strong start to the season as she takes on another world class field at the Icahn Stadium. She will face USA’s Tianna Bartoletta and Canada’s Christabel Netty who have been in great form this year and will be serious contenders to take the Diamond Race points tonight.

The 800m has double British representation with European 2011 indoor champion Jenny Meadows (Trevor Painter) and European silver medallist Lynsey Sharp (Reider) lining up against the likes of America’s Ajee Wilson and Brenda Martinez. Meadows was seventh in Birmingham last weekend and Sharp will make her second Diamond League appearance of the season after competing in Eugene a fortnight ago. 

Tiffany Porter (Reider) competes in the non-Diamond race 100m hurdles while Hannah England (Bud Baldaro) lines up in the rarely run 1000m with Shana Cox (George Williams) competing over 400m. 

Alongside the men’s 100m and 200m world record holder Bolt, the notable international highlights include 800m world record holder David Rudisha, Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor, Sandra Perkovic, Pablo Pedro Pichardo, Orlando Ortega and many more.

Coverage of the New York IAAF Diamond League can be found on British Eurosport 2 between 18:00-20:00. Alternatively you can watch highlights on BBC Two on Sunday 14 June at 12:45pm. Follow @BritAthletics for updates on all the British athletes competing across the pond.