The women’s 200m produced one of the highlights of the day, with the race ending in thrilling fashion as three athletes were up for the win even at the finish line. Amazingly, both American athletes, Jeneba Tarmoh and Olympic Champion, Allyson Felix each clocked 22.29s, but it was Tarmoh who got the nod in the race, and Felix settling for 2nd.
Even, the athletes had to wait for some minutes after to truly ascertain who the winner was, as it wasn’t clear who actually won the race that was keenly contested. This race lived up to the billing as the star attraction, despite world champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrawing at the eleventh hour with a hamstring injury. The Jamaican missed the Rome Diamond League as precaution to be in Birmingham, but she didn’t quite make the recovery to have competed.
Young British athlete, Dina Asher-Smith was in the thick of things right until the end, narrowly missing out as she settled for 3rd position in 22.30s. Tarmoh now leads in the Diamond Race standing with 8 points, while Felix closely follows in second place with six points.
There was no Mohamed Aman, but Bostwana’s Nijel Amos had to shrug off a late challenge from Adam Kszczot and Marcin Lewandowski to win the men’s 800m in 1:46.77. Amos has now moved up ahead of Aman in the Diamond Race points, topping with six points while his Ethiopian rival is 2nd with four points.
Jamaica’s Stephenie McPherson took the women’s 400m in 52.17s, with her compatriot, Kaliese Spencer effortlessly winning the women’s 400m Hurdles in 54.45s, her Season Best.
The men’s 1500m was one dominated by the Kenyans, who took all the top three finishes in the race. James Kiplagat Magut won in 3.37.61, while Cheruiyot Hillarry Ngetich followed in 2nd position in 3.38.42s, with Vincent Kibet 3rd in 3.38.60. Olympic Champion Mo Farah was billed to participate in this event but withdrew to travel and sort out issues with his coach, Alberto Salazar, who has been linked with a doping scandal.
Kenya’s Virginia Nyambura avenged her loss to Hyvin Kiyeng in Rome, powering on to win the women’s 3000m steeplechase in 9.24.01. While Thomas Longosiwa ran a monstrous last 300m to win the men’s 5000m in 13:07.26, with Isiah Koech finishing 2nd in 13:11.22.
And in the men’s 100m event, America’s Marvin Bracy continued in his impressive form to win in 9.93s. Great Britain’s Adam Gemili did just enough to nick 2nd place in 9.97s, before slipping at the finish line, and Mike Rodgers settling for 3rd.
It has been a bad four days for Jasmin Stowers. First, was her slip at the Rome Diamond League, and there was to be no redemption for her in Birmingham as she false-started and was disqualified from the women’s 100m race. Dawn Nelson-Harper won the race in 12.58s while Brianna Rollins came in 2nd in 12.63s. Tiffany Porter finished 3rd in 12.65s.
The last event of the race was in the women’s 1500m, where Sweden’s Sifan Hassan took control of the race, beating her rival Abeba Aregawi to win in 4.00.30.
Click here to read a review of the field events at the Birmingham Diamond League meet.
Photo Credit: www.zimbio.com
