29 August 2013

The penultimate IAAF Diamond League of the 2013 season in Zurich witnessed excellent performances from Shara Proctor (coach:Rana Reider) and Adam Gemili (Michael Afilaka).

Proctor’s leap of 6.88m sealed victory on the evening, but also earned her the Diamond Race Long Jump title for 2013.

Gemili, the world 100m junior champion, ran a season’s best time of 10.06 against a world class field that included Usain Bolt in the 100m.

The Blackheath & Bromley athlete finished 8th and was only 0.01 seconds outside his lifetime best at the Letzigrund Stadium.

"A season’s best and nearly a personal best so I’m happy. It feels great and a learning experience," said Gemili.

Speaking to the BBC, Olympic and World champion Bolt said Gemili was going to be great but warned not to heap too much pressure on the youngster.

There was also personal bests of 11.33 and 11.36 for 100m duo Ashleigh Nelson (Michael Afilaka) and Bianca Williams (Lloyd Cowan) in the pre-programme 100m.

Moscow finalist William Sharman  (Jerzy Maciukiewicz) had to settle for 8th place (13.42) in a high calibre 110m hurdles.

It was the same story for Nigel Levine (Linford Christie) in the 400m. Despite finishing last in 45.66, the Sainsbury’s British champion admitted he was still happy with his run and was looking forward to next season.

Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz (Fuzz Ahmed) exited the high competition early with a best jump of 2.24m.

Elsewhere, 7.96m was only enough to secure fourth for Chris Tomlinson (Rana Reider) in the long jump. 800m duo Michael Rimmer (Norman Poole) and Andrew Osagie (Craig Winrow) finished sixth and seventh in the non-Diamond League race. World 400m hurdles semi-finalist Meghan Beesley (Nick Dakin) could only manage 7th, while Steph Twell (Mick Woods) was 15th in the 5000m with a time of 15:37.74.

The final event of the evening was the Zurich Trophy women’s 4x100m relay. Moscow bronze medallists Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie), Annabelle Lewis (Roger Walters), Hayley Jones (Donald Moss) and Nelson could not replicate their World Championships feats and finished 6th.

The 2013 IAAF Diamond League reaches it’s conclusion in Brussels on 6 September.