25th September 2020

GILES LOWERS 800M PB AS BRITONS ROUND OFF DIAMOND LEAGUE SEASON IN DOHA

Elliot Giles (coach: Jon Bigg; club: Birchfield Harriers) lowered his personal best to 1:44.56 and climbed up the British 800m rankings as the 2020 Wanda Diamond League season drew to a close in Doha.

In a gutsy run in the baking evening, Giles would not relent in his chase of Kenya’s Ferguson Rotich, taking the bell in 50.8s, with the duo moving away from the rest of the field. With 150m to go, Giles began to reel in Rotich, but could not quite shut the gap quick enough.

His effort shaved another tenth off his personal best and moved him up to fourteenth on the all-time British rankings and strengthened his grip on third place in the 2020 British 800m rankings. Guy Learmonth (Julian Rinaldi; Lasswade) capped off his season with a 1:46.25 run that saw him home in sixth position.

In the women’s equivalent, Adelle Tracey (Craig Winrow; Guildford & Godalming) was just 0.01s outside her personal best as she claimed an impressive third place in 1:59.87. In a quick race, Faith Kipyegon (KEN) went out hard with a quick first lap and opened up an early advantage on the field.

Tracey held her own in the chasing group through the first lap, with the field taking the bell in 57.7s, and as others began to tire, Tracey moved through the gears in the closing stages for her second fastest 800m time of all time. Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (Derek Thompson; WSEH) notched herself a season’s best as she claimed eighth spot in 2:02.22.

In the women’s 100m, British silver and bronze medallists, Kristal Awuah (Matthew Thomas; Herne Hill) and Amy Hunt (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood) went toe-to-toe once again, with Awuah coming out on top in a season’s best 11.27s (no wind), good enough for fourth place, with Hunt sixth in 11.43s. Cindy Ofili, who was a late replacement in the field, took eighth in a season’s best 11.74s

In the final event of the night, Laura Weightman (Steve Cram; Morpeth) was just a shade outside her 3000m personal best as she was the first European across the line in seventh position in 8:26.31. Weightman put up a brave fight, keeping tabs on Hellen Obiri (KEN) and kept her pace until the end to earn a top eight finish.

Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall; Dundee Hawkhill) clocked a season’s best of 8:40.88 for 12th spot, while Melissa Courtney-Bryant (Rob Denmark; Poole AC) was 14th in 8:56.11.

James West (Ben Thomas; Tonbridge AC) clocked the second fastest time by a Briton over 1500m as he came home in 3:34.07, good enough for fifth place. West timed his charge well having been locked in the chasing pack behind race winner Stewart McSweyn, who broke the Australian record in 3:30.51.

There was another personal best for Piers Copeland (Bob Smith; Wimborne) as he took eighth spot in 3:35.32, strengthening his own fifth position in the British rankings.

British 100m hurdles champion Cindy Ofili (Jeff Porter; Woodford Green Essex Ladies) secured third place in Doha in 13.02s (1.1), while in the men’s equivalent, following two false starts, David King (Tim O’Brien; City of Plymouth) also bagged himself third spot in 13.54s (0.3), with British Athletics Futures Programme athlete Cameron Fillery (Michael Baker; Woodford Green Essex Ladies) came fifth in 13.76s (1.1).

Over 400m, Rabah Yousif (Carol Williams; Newham & Essex Beagles) clocked 46.46s to take fifth place, while British pole vault record holder and defending British champion Harry Coppell (Scott Simpson; Wigan & District) unfortunately failed to register a height.

Full results are available here.