ASHER-SMITH TAKES SECOND PLACE IN ZURICH DIAMOND LEAGUE FINAL

Dina Asher-Smith (coach: John Blackie; club: Blackheath & Bromley) clocked a 200m season’s best of 22.08s (-0.4) as she clinched second place in the 200m at the Zurich Diamond League finals.

In a near carbon copy of her performance at the Müller Grand Prix Birmingham, the Londoner ran a storming bend as she led into the home straight from Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH), only to be pipped in the closing stages, with the latter setting a world leading mark, personal best and Diamond League record of 21.74s (-0.4).

It caps an excellent week for the Blackheath & Bromley athlete after she lowered her own Müller British Athletics Championship record to 10.96s in the 100m, successfully defending her title.

Also fresh from winning the British 400m title in Birmingham last weekend, one-lap specialist Laviai Nielsen (Christine Bowmaker; Enfield & Haringey) came home in fifth spot in the women’s 400m in 51.70s

A measured 200m kept her in contention throughout and she came into the home straight well in the mix but as the race entered its final stages, her rivals just found enough to hold her off. Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) took the Diamond Trophy, clocking 50.24s for the win.

The men’s 100m, saw Adam Gemili (Rana Reider; Blackheath & Bromley) and Zharnel Hughes (Glen Mills; Shaftesbury Barnet) contest a stacked field and both cut the tape in 10.15s (-0.4), with the latter getting the nod on a photo finish.

The duo, in their fifth race in six days, claimed respective sixth and seventh place finishes , with American Noah Lyles claiming the coveted Diamond Trophy in 9.98s.

A very tactical 1500m saw Jemma Reekie (Andy Young; Kilbarchan) the best of the Brits home in 11^th position, clocking 4:05.34, with Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall; Dundee Hawkhill) one place further back in 4:08.61.

A slow middle of the race bunched the pack back together until the race entered the final lap when Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) picked up the pace, but it was Sifan Hassan (NED) who moved through the gears for victory in 3:57.08.

The final Brit in action, Andrew Butchart (Central AC), rounded off the Diamond League action in the men’s 5000m with a respectable 13:24.46, coming home in 11^th position in his first Diamond League finals.

In the non-Diamond League action, David King (James Hillier; City of Plymouth) and Cameron Fillery (Michael Baker; Woodford Green Essex Ladies) clocked 13.58s (-0.8) & 13.74s (-0.8) respectively for second & third place in the men’s 110m hurdles, while Ellie Baker (Jon Bigg; Shaftesbury Barnet) came home in a season’s best 2:02.79 in the women’s 800m, good enough for seventh position.

In the first action of the night involving British representatives, Nathan Maguire (Ste Hoskins; Halton & Frodsham) clocked 6:04.92 for sixth place in the mixed 3000m wheelchair pursuit, with Danny Sidbury (Christine Parsloe; Sutton & District) 10^th in 6:35.96 as Manuela Schar (SUI) took the win in 5:36.20.