by Alfonz JuckThe London DL, aka Muller Anniversary Games entertained 35,000 British track fans one month out from the World Championships.
Two of the finest performances were the 800 meters in 1:43.18 from Nijel Amos and 49.66 for 400 meters from Allyson Felix.
Here are the highlights from our partner, EME News, who provide daily updates on the world of athletics.
Allyson Felix, 2017 USATF Championships, photo by Brian Eder for RunBlogRun
Amos and Felix world leads
LONDON (GBR, Jul 9): World leads from Nijel Amos (1:43.18) and Allyson Felix (49.65) stood out as the Olympic Stadium warmed up for the World Championships back in the capital next month. Tom Bosworth set a world best in the mile race walk, while Hellen Obiri’s 4:16.65 was one of three meeting records with Barbora Spotakova in javelin (but Sara Kolak did it twice before her) and Tianna Bartoletta in long jump. Some 35 000 watched the meet, this years top for IAAF Diamond League. In total 2 world leads and 3 meet records.
Event by event
Men
100m (non-DL): CJ Ujah ran his third 10.02 (season’s best) of the year as he beat James Dasaolu (10.06) into second and the favoured Isiah Young (10.07).
200m: Ameer Webb clocked a winning 20.14 (-0.7) as sub-44 man Fred Kerley (20.24 PB) stepped down in his first professional race. Young was third again (20.24), while GB champion Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake was fourth (20.30).
400m (non-DL): Michael Cherry stopped the clock on 45.02 after home favourite Matthew Hudson-Smith slipped in his blocks and ended up on the track. Tony McQuay was second with 45.29 as Dwayne Cowan’s 45.35 was a PB for third.
800m: Nijel Amos continued his return back towards top form with a 1:43.18 win over previous world No.1 Donavon Brazier (1:43.95). Asbel Kiprop was third with 1:44.43.
1500m (non-DL): Chris O’Hare followed up his GB champs win with another, running 3:34.75 to demote Vince Kibet’s 3:34.88 to second. Filip Ingebrigtsen was third with 3:34.91.
3000m (non-DL): Thoughts of a UK record (7:32.62) evaporated with the early pace. Mo Farah’s was tracked closely by European indoor champion Adel Mechaal (7:36.32) until the home straight. He clocked sub 56 last lap. Andrew Butchart was third with a PB 7:37.56.
110m hurdles: Aries Merritt continues in good shape with a 13.09 (0.0) sizeable win ahead of Milan Trajkovic’s Cypriot record 13.25 for second.
400m hurdles: Olympic champion Kerron Clement returns to form with a season’s best 48.02 as he pipped world No.1 Kyron McMaster (48.12, European meet debut), who dominated the early part of the race. Yasmani Copello was third with 48.24.
Long jump (non-DL): The wind was against the jumpers as Jeff Henderson was the only man over eight metres with 8.17m. Michael Hartfield was second with 7.99m.
Discus: Just 8cm separated the top three. 66.73m was enough to take the win for world No.1 Daniel Stahl, who pipped Fedrick Dacres (66.66m) with the final throw. Philip Milanov (66.65m) was third.
Mile walk (non-DL): Tom Bosworth smashed the world best for the rarely held event. His 5:31.08 was well inside the 1990 mark of 5:36.9. Second-placed Diego Garcia (5:36.27) was also inside. It was walking DL debut.
Women
100m: Elaine Thompson extended her unbeaten run in the 100m to 13 since April 2016 with 10.94 (-1.4). And she did not run in her real spikes. Dafne Schippers was second with 10.97 (10.96 in heat) and Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor (10.99).
400m: Allyson Felix showed she is in shape to defend her world title with a 49.65 world lead after running previously this event only once this year. Courtney Okolo set a season’s best of 50.29 in second and hurdles specialist Shamier Little was third with a PB 50.40.
800m (non-DL): Charlene Lipsey took the race with 1:59.43 ahead of a season’s best from Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (1:59.82) with Hedda Hynne third (PB 1:59.87).
Mile: Laura Muir, seeking to break Zola Budd’s 22-year-old British record, set the pace but was passed in the last 200m by Hellen Obiri (4:16.56 MR and NR to 4:18.03), who clocked the seventh fastest time in history. Winny Chebet was third with 4:19.55 ahead of a Polish record of 4:19.58 for Angelika Cichocka.
100m hurdles: Despite a recent 12.28, Kendra Harrison could not repeat her world record performance of last year. Her 12.39 was 0.27 outside the mark, she was pushed close by Sally Pearson, whose 12.48 was her quickest since 2012. (Wind +0.2.)
400m hurdles (non-DL): Janieve Russell set a season’s best of 54.02 – just 0.06 outside her PB.
High jump: Mariya Lasistskene produced her 20th win on the trot, clearing 2.00m before unsuccessful attempts at 2.08m. U20 athlete Vashti Cunningham was second with 1.97m.
Pole vault: Ekaterini Stefanidi continues to dominate. Her first-time 4.81m clearance brought the Olympic champion a ninth consecutive victory this year. Nicole Buchler was 5cm short of her PB with a season’s best 4.73m.
Long jump: Olympic champion Tianna Bartoletta set a meet record 7.01 (+0.8) in round five to usurp Ivana Spanovic’s round-one 6.88m – due to a foot injury her only effort. Brooke Stratton was third with 6.79m and heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson fourth (6.75m).
Javelin: Barbora Spotakova took revenge on Sara Kolak after the Croatian stole victory from her with the final throw in Lausanne. This time round it was Spotakova’s meet record 68.26m, her best since winning Olympic gold in London in 2012 which turned the tables on Kolak’s 67.83m.
