12th July 2019
GRICE MOVES INTO HISTORICAL TERRITORY WITH HUGE MONACO PB
Charlie Da’Vall Grice (coach: Jon Bigg; club: Brighton Pheonix) raced himself into historic territory as he smashed his personal best at the Monaco Diamond League with Laura Muir (Andy Young; Dundee Hawkhill) in career best form too in the principality.
Grice ran the fourth fastest 1500m time in British history, clocking a rapid 3:30.62 in Monaco that puts him just behind athletics icons Sir Mo Farah, Steve Cram and Lord Sebastian Coe.
Good enough for fourth on the night behind Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN), Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) and Ronald Musagala (UGA) in what was a non-Diamond League race, Grice is now comfortably clear at the top of the British rankings for the 1500m this season.
European champion Muir meanwhile, also competing in the non-Diamond League 800m, lowered her personal best for the first time in over two years, posting 1:58.42 for third behind Ajee Wilson (USA) and Natoya Goule (JAM).
Muir said: “Getting out that first 200m is tough against girls that quick. I’m very happy with the PB. It’s been a while since I have ran one and it’s always going to be hard going up against these girls. I feel like I’m in a PB shape for 1500m. I’ll run London next weekend.”
Compatriot Lynsey Sharp (David Harmer; Edinburgh) was also in great form with a season’s best by almost two seconds in that 800m race. Having ducked under the world standard in Marseille last week, Sharp went easily inside in Monaco, running 1:58.76, and sits second in this year’s British rankings behind Muir.
All six Brits in action in Monaco did something notable with Laura Weightman (Steve Cram; Morpeth) the third to clock a personal best as she clocked 4:17.60 for second in the Brave Like Gabe mile after a brilliant run.
In-form Melissa Courtney (Rob Denmark; Poole) – running so well across all distances, 1500m, 3000m and 5000m – joined Weightman in that race and ran a season’s best 4:27.76 as Sifan Hassan (NED) set a new world record of 4:12.33.
Weightman said: “I’m absolutely delighted – to run 4:17 is a big PB and I’m over the moon for Sifan to break the world record. She’s an amzing athlete – it’s a special moment to share this with her.”
Meanwhile Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman; Edinburgh) continued his return from injury with another positive run, lowering his season’s best in the 800m to 1:45.08.