30th June 2019
WEIGHTMAN MOVES UP RANKINGS AND HUGHES GOES SUB-10 AGAIN
There was a strong showing from the British athletes at the Prefontaine Classic – the seventh leg of the IAAF Diamond League – held in Stanford this year.
In her first track event of the 2019 summer season, Laura Weightman (Steve Cram; Morpeth) moved to second on the UK all-time list over 3000m as she clocked a huge personal best time of 8:26.07 in a classic 3000m contest.
The bronze medallist at the European Championships and Commonwealth Games last year over 1500m and 5000m respectively, ran superbly, with the quick tempo headed by Sifan Hassan (NED) who blew away the field on the last lap clocking a Diamond League record of 8:18.49.
The fast pace of the race saw PBs dotted across the results sheet with the North East athlete slashing over 18 seconds off her previous best set back in 2013. It saw her move ahead of Laura Muir in the rankings and only behind Paula Radcliffe on the all-time list.
Olympic and world champion Faith Kipyegon pulled away from Laura Muir (Andy Young; Dundee Hawkhill) in the closing stages on the non-Diamond League 1500m in the US, as the duo secured first and second respectively in the sunny conditions on the west coast.
Muir won in Stockholm earlier this month and recorded her second fastest time ever over the distance in Rome. On this occasion she clocked a solid 3:59.47 to hold off a fast-finishing Shelby Houlihan (USA) who claimed victory ahead of her at the Pre Classic in 2018.
There was another impressive sub-ten second showing from Zharnel Hughes (Glen Mills; Shaftesbury Barnet) in the men’s 100m, going 9.97 (-0.1) for third place.
Hughes had already gone sub-10 once this year in Jamaica, and he was in strong form again in Stanford, showing his consistency during 2019. The European champion equalled his seasons best, with world silver medallist Christian Coleman (USA) winning in a world leading time of 9.80.
There was a third-place finish for Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie; Blackheath & Bromley) in the 200m in a race won by Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare.
Having won the previous two Diamond League events, she’s competed in over 200m in Doha and Stockholm, Asher-Smith led the series standings, and started well in Stanford but saw Okagbare and Elaine Thompson (JAM) move away from her in the home straight, with the Briton crossing the line in 22.42 (+1.9).
The Nigerian won in 22.05 making it her second Diamond League victory in a row having won the 100m in Rabat, while Thompson posted a time of 22.21.
Results: https://eugene.diamondleague.com/program-results-eugene/
Highlights will be on BBC Two from 9am on Monday 1 July 2019.