4th July 2019

WIGHTMAN AND ASHER-SMITH AMONG THOSE ON DL DUTY IN LAUSANNE

The IAAF Diamond League rolls on to Lausanne on Friday evening with a whole host of British athletes competing in Switzerland.

The action got underway on Thursday evening with the non-Diamond League pole vault which took place in the city centre, and Britain’s Holly Bradshaw (coach: Scott Simpson; club: Blackburn) jumped her best outdoors so far during 2019, clearing 4.72m on her second attempt, which saw her seal third-place.

Following a third-place finish over 200m in Stanford last weekend, Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie; Blackheath & Bromley) will go over 100m for the second time in the 2019 series. She posted a time of 10.94 in Rome back in early June. In the Swiss city, she will face Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) and Marie-Josee Ta-Lou (CIV) who are among the field.

After a return to competition last week following injury, Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman; Edinburgh AC) contends the 1500m. He posted a time of 1:45.55 to win the A race 800m at the Watford BMC last weekend, and races over 1500m for the first time since winning European bronze last August. He’ll take on a world-class field including indoor 1500m world record holder Samuel Tefera (ETH) and European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR).

Andrew Pozzi (Santiago Antunez; Stratford-upon-Avon) lines up in the 110m hurdles alongside Olympic silver medallist Orlando Ortega (ESP), while Laviai Nielsen (Christine Bowmaker; Enfield & Haringey) goes in the 400m with Salwa Eid Nasser (BRN) the favourite after winning the last three Diamond League meetings in Shanghai, Rome and Rabat. Guy Learmonth (Henry Gray; Lasswade) is in the 800m field, with second-placer in Doha and Rabat, Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir (KEN), among those vying for victory.

World bronze medallist Richard Chiassaro (Jenni Banks; Harlow) and European medallist Dillon Labrooy (Jenny Archer; Weir Archer Academy) will be on the start line in the men’s wheelchair 1500m which includes home favourite and multiple Paralympic and world champion Marcel Hug (SUI).

Career bests of 11.17 over 100m and 51.22 for 400m have been standout moments for Jodie Williams (Stuart McMillan; Herts Phoenix) so far this season, as has a wind-assisted 200m in 22.46. She goes in the non-Diamond League 200m on Friday evening, lining up alongside Ashleigh Nelson (Michael Afiliaka; City of Stoke) who recorded a SB of 23.03 in Marseille earlier this week.

Earlier in the programme, Seb Rodger (Benke Blomkvist; Shaftesbury Barnet) takes to the track in the 400m hurdles while Jamal Rhoden-Stevens (Donovan Reid; Shaftesbury Barnet) is involved in the 400m B race.

The IAAF Diamond League will be live on Eurosport 1 from 19:00 on Friday 5 July, while highlights will be shown on BBC Two on Sunday 7 July between 13:30-14:55.

Full start lists can be found here: https://lausanne.diamondleague.com/en/programme-results-lausanne/