30th August 2016

Weekend Update - Laura Muir Lowers British 1500m Record

30 August 2016 

Paris Diamond League, France, 27 August

Laura Muir (coach: Andy Young) produced the performance of her career to date, winning the Paris Diamond League and lowering the British record she set at the Muller Anniversary Games last month. The Olympic 1500m finalist was the only athlete to really commit to going with the pacemakers, which meant she had to run the last lap in splendid isolation, but it didn’t affect her. Beating the Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon into second place, Muir stopped the clock at 3.55.22 much to her delight and disbelief.

That time knocks a whopping two seconds off the mark she set in London, is the fastest time in the world this year and also a meeting record. Muir will be back in action at the first of the Diamond League finals in Zurich on Thursday, before heading across the pond for the 5th Avenue Mile in New York.

Muir spoke afterwards: “The race was amazing, I couldn’t believe the time, especially since I didn’t do one track session since Rio. I just went with the pacemaker and I knew I had to dig in and hold on during the 3rd lap. I’ll be in Zurich next week to finish my season.”

Desiree Henry (Rana Reider) was also in fine form as the British women shone in Paris; the youngster, who celebrated her 21st birthday the previous day, set a new personal best to finish second. Running blind from lane eight, Henry was only beaten by world champion Dafne Schippers as she ran 22.46 (+0.1m/s), half a second faster than she’s ever gone before. That performance also moved her up to third in the Diamond Race standings.

Sticking with the sprints, bobsledder Joel Fearon (Michael Khmel) continued his recent run of good form to finish third in a high quality field in 10.05 (-0.1). Chijindu Ujah (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo) was seventh in 10.15.

In the field, Jade Lally (Andrew Neal) also produced her best Diamond League performance to date with a fourth place finish in the women’s discus, thanks to a 61.45m throw. Lorraine Ugen (Shawn Jackson) showed no Olympic hangover as she finished second in the women’s long jump with a 6.80m effort, a season’s best. Shara Proctor (Reider) was a couple of places further back with a 6.55m jump.

Anyika Onuora (Rana Reider) finished seventh in the 400m, clocking a time of 51.70, whilst Cindy Ofili (James Henry) was third in a competitive 100m hurdles races, posting a time of 12.66 in a race won by world record holder, Kendra Harrison. 

Results: http://paris.diamondleague.com/en/programme-results/programme-2016-results/

England Athletics U15/U17 Championships, Bedford, 27-28 August

Despite wet and windy conditions, three championship best performances were bettered on the first day of action at Bedford, kick started in the U15 boy’s long jump where Dominic Ogbechie (Juliet Kavanagh) leapt to 6.84m (2.1) to take victory.

Also on form in the field was Jade Spencer-Smith (Ellie Spain) who cleared 3.46m to win the U15 girl’s pole vault and better the previous CBP. Ben Pattison (David Ragan) was the final athlete to write his name into the record books on day one as he won the 300m, stepping down from his usual 800m to stop the clock at 35.41.

Ogbechie was back at it again on day two, as he cleared 1.96m to win the high jump and also break the CBP performance in that event. In the U17 men’s 100m hurdles Mayowa Osunsami (Tony Jarrett) stormed to victory in 12.70, the third fastest ever by a Briton at that age.

However the U17 women’s 800m turned out to be the race of the day, as Katy-Ann McDonald (Phillip Kissi) beat the top two athletes in Europe, Isabelle Boffey (Douglas Stone) and Anna Burt (Kevin Brunt) to take the title in 2.05.07, also a CBP.

Jono Efoloko (John Smith) completed a sprint double, the European Youth champion taking the 200m title in 21.54 to add to the 100m title he won on the previous day in 10.59.

Results: http://resultsengland.athletics-uk.org/

 

Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, Warsaw, Poland, 28-29 August

Olympic hammer bronze medallist Sophie Hitchon (Tore Gustafsson) picked up where she left off in Rio with a second place finish thanks to a 72.42m throw. She was only beaten by the Olympic champion Anita Wlodarczyk, who once again broke her own world record with an 82.98m throw.

In the sprints, Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie) took victory in the 100m in 11.28 (-0.6), whilst Richard Kilty (Benke Blomkvist) was fourth in the men’s event in 10.38 (-0.1).

Results: http://powerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=163767