A Wanda Diamond League record from discus world record-holder Mykolas Alekna, an Ethiopian mile record from Gudaf Tsegay and a world-leading 200m run from Julien Alfred were among the many highlights at the London Athletics Meet on Saturday (19).
All three athletes not only broke meeting records, but also improved on the UK all-comers’ marks in their respective disciplines.
Alekna took an early lead with 66.97m, but 2022 world champion Kristjan Ceh bettered it in round two with 68.37m. Alekna responded with one of the best throws of his life – and the best throw ever produced at a Wanda Diamond League meeting – and sent his discus out to 71.70m.
Ceh, who had won nine consecutive competitions prior to this meeting, improved to 68.83m in the final round but had to settle for second place. British record-holder Lawrence Okoye was third with 67.24m.
World 10,000m champion Gudaf Tsegay achieved her first Diamond League win of the season, producing a dominant run to win the women’s mile with the second-fastest time in history.
After a swift opening lap of 59.93, Tsegay settled into a steadier pace and went through 800m in 2:03.45. At the bell, Australia’s Jessica Hull had closed the gap on the Ethiopian, but Tsegay had saved something for the end and kicked to victory in a national record of 4:11.88. Hull was second in 4:13.68, an Oceanian record.
Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred smashed her own national record and world lead to win the 200m in convincing fashion. The St Lucian was in the lead as she came off the bend, then continued to open up a significant leading margin, crossing the line in a meeting record of 21.71.
Julien Alfred wins the 200m in London (© Getty Images)
Alfred’s training partner, 2019 world champion Dina Asher-Smith, finished strongly to take second in a season’s best of 22.25, just ahead of compatriot Amy Hunt, who set a PB of 22.31 in third.
Earlier in the afternoon, Asher-Smith and Hunt had teamed up to win the women’s 4x100m in a world-leading 41.69.
There were also meeting records from Kenyan middle-distance runners Phanuel Koech and Emmanuel Wanyonyi.
Eighteen-year-old Koech, who has burst on to the international scene this year, ran like a seasoned professional in the men’s 1500m, making his way into the lead on the last lap to win in a UK all-comers’ record of 3:28.82. World champion Josh Kerr was second in a season’s best of 3:29.37.
For a brief moment it looked as though Olympic champion Wanyonyi would be beaten in the men’s 800m. He had led for most of the way, but world champion Marco Arop took command on the final bend. The Canadian then faded slightly while Wanyonyi responded with a final burst to take the win in a meeting record of 1:42.00. Arop was second with a season’s best of 1:42.22 while Max Burgin was third in a PB of 1:42.37, elevating him to third on the British all-time list.
Bol wins again
World champion Femke Bol made it three wins in a row in London. The soaking wet track ruled out any chance of an improvement on the Diamond League record she set last year, but the manner of her victory was still highly impressive.
She won by more than a second in 52.10 from USA’s Jasmine Jones (53.18) and Jamaica’s Andrenette Knight (53.79).
While the women’s 400m hurdles and 200m went to the form book, there were surprise victories in the men’s sprint events.
Oblique Seville exploded into an early lead in the men’s 100m and maintained it to the end, winning comfortably in 9.86. Olympic champion Noah Lyles, contesting his first 100m of the year, was second in 10.00 ahead of world bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes (10.02).
In the men’s 400m, Olympic silver medallist Matt Hudson-Smith and world leader Zakithi Nene were locked in battle down the home straight, but Diamond League champion Charlie Dobson came striding through in the closing stages to win in a PB of 44.14. Hudson-Smith held on for second (44.27), just ahead of Nene (44.29).
Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa won the women’s 5000m in what was one of the deepest races of all time at the distance. She clocked 14:30.57 to finish ahead of compatriot Fantaye Belayneh (14:30.90) with Australia’s Rose Davies setting an Oceanian record of 14:31.45 in third. A record number of 13 women finished inside 14:40, including Britain’s Innes Fitzgerald, who set a European U20 record of 14:39.56 in 12th.
Elsewhere on the track, Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell came through in the closing stages to win the women’s 800m in a season’s best of 1:56.74. USA’s Addison Wiley was second in 1:57.43.
Olympic champions beaten in the jumps
There were several close contests in the jumping events, many of which resulted in surprise victories.
New Zealand’s Olivia McTaggart won the women’s pole vault on countback, beating world champion Katie Moon, European champion Angelica Moser and USA’s Emily Grove, all four clearing 4.73m.
Morgan Lake was the only woman to get over 1.96m in the high jump, earning a shock win over Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who finished fourth with 1.93m.
Both long jump contests were won by just one centimetre. Two-time world champion Malaika Mihambo uncorked a leap of 6.93m in the fifth round to take the lead. Larissa Iapichino responded with 6.92m in the final round but it wasn’t quite enough to reclaim the lead.
In the men’s event, Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock beat Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou, 8.20m to 8.19m.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics