Müller Grand Prix Birmingham 2019
Alexander Stadium - Birmingham
Sunday 18th August 2019
The class of Olympic champions told at Müller Grand Prix Birmingham as Nafissatou Thiam and Shaunae Miller-Uibo stormed to commanding victories weeks away from the World Championships.
A stunning women’s long jump competition saw the Belgian, 24, crunch her PB in the pit twice and break her own national record twice with a leap of 6.78 and then 6.86. With 6.65 and 6.67 leaps behind her this season, Thiam gave a shuddering reminder of her soaring talent 41 days before the start of the IAAF World Championships in Doha.
The race of the day – and for many, the Diamond League season so far – saw Miller-Uibo hold off a fearsome challenge from Dina Asher-Smith in the next lane with victory in 22.24. Britain’s golden girl Asher-Smith was out quick and a blistering bend set her up, with double Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, to push the Bahamian on the final straight. Miller-Uibo kept her composure and her stride length told in the end, a stride ahead of Asher-Smith who finished in 22.36 and Fraser-Pryce in 22.50.
There was a photo finish in the men’s 100m as Yohan Blake dipped past Adam Gemili by eight-thousandths in a race affected by light, but steady, rain.
Sophie Hahn’s impeccable record on home soil continued as she took victory in the T35-38 100m, her 12.67 race opening the afternoon with a bang.
Danielle Williams’ superb season continues as she equalled the Grand Prix’s meeting record in the 100m hurdles, outlasting world record holder Kendra Harrison with a 12.46 triumph. The Jamaican banged her knee on one of the hurdles but still managed to seal a third Diamond League race win of the season, 0.11 ahead of Harrison and 0.17 ahead of Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan.
As anticipated world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech brought a seven-year meeting record crashing down with 9:05.55 in the 3000m steeplechase.
And Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen broke a national record at the Alexander Stadium for the second time, setting a Mile personal best in a race which saw Scot Eilish McColgan finish third.
High wind made for a challenging day in the field, where the experience of Katerina Stefanidi paid dividends as the Greek cleared 4.75 at the final attempt to take victory in the women’s pole vault.
Brandon Starc defended his title in the men’s high jump, clearing 2.30, while Chinese Taipei’s Chao-Tsun Cheng pulled out 87.75 with his final throw to claim men’s javelin honours.