2011 Birmingham Diamond League Recap
By LetsRun.com
July 11, 2011
The Birmingham Diamond League meet did not disappoint, as Morgan Uceny did something an American hadn't done in 25+ years and training partners Mo Farah and Galen Rupp impressed at 5,000, both outkicking the reigning World Cross-Country champion, with Rupp also getting a PR in the process, as Farah's 54-second last lap got him the win. Plus wins from Abubaker Kaki, Asafa Powell and Phillips Idowu.
We recap the mid-d and distance action for you below and include videos of some of the best races.
Women's 1,500m: American Morgan Uceny Wins Again To Lay Claim To Being The Best In The World
Morgan Uceny Wins Again!
On June 25th at the US championships, American Morgan Uceny used a blistering kick over the final 200 to pull away and convincingly win her first US title.
After that race, many hard-core track fans probably thought, "Oh, that's great that she won her first US title, but Christin Wurth-Thomas really blew up and Shannon Rowbury hasn't been in top form so far this year."
On June 30th in Lausanne, American Morgan Uceny used a blistering kick over the final 200 to pull away and convincingly win her first Diamond League race.
After that race, many hard-core track fans probably thought, "Oh, that's great that she won her first Diamond League race, but the time was really slow and it just seemed like a strange race."
Well, on Sunday, Uceny did it again. For the third straight race, Uceny used a blistering kick to pull away from the field and win convincingly as she took home her 2nd straight Diamond League victory with a time of 4:05.64.
And after the race on Sunday, there is no doubt:
American Morgan Uceny is currently the best women's 1,500-meter runner on the planet. Let us repeat that again: American Morgan Uceny is currently the best women's 1,500-meter runner on the planet.
We repeated that phrase because it's been a long, long time since that could be said about an American.
Drug cheat Regina Jacobs never won two straight European 1,500s. Suzy Favor Hamilton never did it either. We believe one would have to go back to 1985, when Mary Slaney (who was later busted for a PED violation) went a perfect five-for-five in Europe, to find an example of an American winning two straight big European 1,500s.
Sunday's race really was just a repeat of the race in Lausanne, as no one racing seemed interested in chasing a fast time and Uceny was in a good spot for virtually the entire race - near the front, on the outside, never boxed in. When it came time to kick, Uceny showed why she was an 800 runner in high school and college, as she was clearly the best over the final 200. In Lausanne, she closed in roughly 29-high to grab the win. Here she was even better, closing in 29-mid to win.
The bridesmaid behind Uceny in Birmingham was Ethiopia's Kalkidan Gezahegne. The 20-year-old Gezahegne is no slouch, as she won the world indoor title this year at age 19 and has the 2nd best 1,500 time on the year at 4:00.97. But this race was the third straight 1,500 where Uceny had defeated Gezahegne, as she also beat Gezahegne in Lausanne and New York.
2011 world leader and 2007 and 2009 world champion Maryam Jamal moved up from fifth or sixth with 200 remaining to finish third.
American Christin Wurth-Thomas ran her first race since her epic blowup at USAs and this time she ran a much more conservative race, as she tried to stick with the pack and kick, but that strategy didn't work well for her, as she ended up a well-beaten 8th in 4:08.10. The 10th-place finisher was Britain's Lisa Dobriskey, who ran her first race since finishing 10th in Rome on May 26th in 4:06.35. Former Oregon Duck Zoe Buckman got a PR at 4:08.57 to get 11th.
Quick Thought #1: Uceny has proven she's the king of tactical races and that potentially could mean great things for her at the World Championships. At the 2009 Worlds, there was a pileup with 200 meters remaining, but the winner (Maryam Yusuf Jamal) closed in roughly 30.5 seconds in a 4:03.74 race. In that race, the leader-to-leader final 300 split was 46.37. Today in Birmingham ... yes, the winning time was a bit slower (1.9 seconds - 4:05.64), but the leader to leader final 300 was covered in a blistering 45.09.
More: MB: *UCENY!!! *Uceny to Continue Her Winning Streak at Birmingham Today??
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Result | Diamond Points | Diamond Ranking | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
USA
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4:05.64
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10
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1
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|
|
|
2
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ETH
|
4:05.96
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3
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5
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||
|
3
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BRN
|
4:06.39
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5
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3
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||
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4
|
GBR
|
4:06.49
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|
|
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||
|
5
|
GBR
|
4:06.81
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PB
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|
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||
|
6
|
NOR
|
4:06.82
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SB
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|
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||
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7
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GBR
|
4:07.79
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SB
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|
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8
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USA
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4:08.10
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9
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USA
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4:08.16
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10
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GBR
|
4:08.22
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|
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|
11
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AUS
|
4:08.57
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PB
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|
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12
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BRN
|
4:09.71
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IRL
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DNF
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Men's 5,000m: Mo Farah Makes The Case That He's Currently The Best Distance Runner On The Planet
Mo Farah Wins 5,000 As
Galen Rupp Beats 2011 World XC Champ
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
At the 2011 Pre Classic, Britain's Mo Farah outkicked 2011 World Cross-Country winner and 2010 world #1 at 5,000 Imane Merga to grab the win. Some discounted the victory as it was at 10,000 - not 5,000 - and because Merga may have been a big jet-lagged.
Well, Farah outgunned Merga yet again on Sunday in Birmingham - this time at 5,000 to get the win in 13:06.14. After his Pre victory, Farah told reporters that if his training partner Galen Rupp had been in the race, he would have finished right there with him. Rupp backed Farah up on that claim, as after Farah had pulled away from Merga, Rupp came on strong in the final 50 to get the scalp of Merga, who by no means let up. Rupp, who is known more for being a 10,000-meter runner, outkicked the reigning Word Cross-Country champion at 5,000 meters to get second with a new personal best of 13:06.86, as Merga was 3rd in 13:07.63.
21-year-old Yenew Alamirew of Ethiopia, who twice has broke 7:30 for 3,000 this year, was fourth in 13:08.78.
The comeback of 2005 World Championships bronze medallist Craig Mottram continued its successful trajectory as Mottram, who was in the lead next to Farah entering the final 400, ended up 6th in a seasonal best of 13:11.51 - well under the IAAF and Olympic A standard of 13:20. Also qualifying for Worlds was Irishman Alistair Cragg (13:16.80).
Quick Thought (QT) #1: Mo Farah's final 400 was basically 54-flat (one message board poster says it was 54.2) with a last 200 of basically 27-flat, although he did cruise in a bit over the final 10 meters of so. That close is pretty good. For comparison's sake, when Kenenisa Bekele won the 2009 WC title in even a slower race (13:17), his final lap was 53.21 and his final 200 was 26.08. Rupp's last lap was 54.6.
QT #2: Mo Farah's last 1,600 was 3:59-high. Galen Rupp's last 1,600 was 4:00-mid to high.
QT #3: At USAs, Rupp was outclassed by both Chris Solinsky and Bernard Lagat by nearly two seconds over the final 400 in Eugene at USAs, but that was the day after Rupp had won the 10,000. It certainly seems as if the 10,000 took something out of Rupp for the USA 5,000, as Rupp certainly stayed closer to the winner today and also took the scalp of Merga. Rupp is now PRing and running 54.6 the last lap, pretty damn impressive. Rupp closed in 4:00 in a 13:23 race at USAs, now he's closing in 4:00 in a 13:06 race.
QT #4: We imagine Bernard Lagat and Chris Solinsky, who both convincingly beat Rupp at USAs, were pretty excited to see Rupp beat Merga today.
QT #5: Yenew Alamirew certainly seems to be headed in the wrong direction. In February, he ran 7:27 indoors. Then on May 6th, he seemingly started off outdoors where he finished indoors, as he looked invincible in winning the Doha 3,000 in a blistering time of 7:27.26 in a race where he ran a blistering last lap of basically 54-high to 55-flat. On May 29th, he was 4th in 13:02 Hengelo and now he's 4th in 13:08 - and his last lap was over 56 seconds. So 2 months ago, he's running 55-flat at the slowest to finish off a super-fast race. Now he's running 56+ in a moderately-paced race.
QT #6: It's worth noting that Dejen Gebremeskel of Ethiopia, who has run 12:55 this year, didn't start the race even though he was listed on the early entry list.
QT #7: Villanova alum and assistant coach Adrian Blincoe went down in a fall right around the 9:00 mark.
More: MB: Galen Rupp 2nd in Birmingham 5000m *Does anyone have a split for Rupp's last 2k. I had it at about 5:04, which would be incredible but... *GALEN RUPP 13:06.86 PB!!! *Rupp's Race Proved NOTHING
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Result | Diamond Points | Diamond Ranking | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
GBR
|
13:06.14
|
|
4
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3
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||
|
2
|
USA
|
13:06.86
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PB
|
2
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6
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||
|
3
|
ETH
|
13:07.63
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|
7
|
1
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|
|
|
4
|
ETH
|
13:08.78
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|
4
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3
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||
|
5
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ESP
|
13:10.19
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PB
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|
|
||
|
6
|
AUS
|
13:11.51
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SB
|
|
|
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|
7
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ETH
|
13:12.36
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|
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|
8
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AUS
|
13:15.70
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SB
|
|
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||
|
9
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IRL
|
13:16.80
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|
|
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|
10
|
DJI
|
13:17.77
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NR
|
|
|
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|
11
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NOR
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13:30.22
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PB
|
|
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|
12
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NOR
|
13:37.71
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|
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|
13
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GBR
|
13:41.02
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|
|
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||
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NZL
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DNF
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|
|
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|
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USA
|
DNF
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|
|
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|
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USA
|
DNF
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||
Intermediate times:
1,000m Krummenacker, David (USA) 2:36.75
2,000m Kuma, Abera (ETH) 5:17.79
3,000m Merga, Imane (ETH) 8:00.76
4,000m Birmingham, Collis (AUS) 10:41.45
Men's 800: Kaki Does What He Always Does When He's Not Racing A Championship Or Rudisha
In our pre-race preview of Birmingham, we pointed out how Abubaker Kaki is basically unbeatable in 800 meter races that aren't either at the World Championships or Olympics or that don't include David Rudisha.
Kaki certainly proved that to be the case as he crushed the field and won by nearly a full second in 1:44.54, as 2010 European champion Marcin Lewandowski was second in 1:45.47. Morocco's Amine Laalou, who looked sensational in winning the Paris 1,500 on Friday, got third in 1:45.77.
QT #1: Kaki is unbeatable in rabbitted races that don't include Rudisha.
QT #2: At age 29, it seems that Laalou's best event is clearly the 1,500 at this point. That being said, he did run 1:43.71 last year.
QT #3: 2007 World Championships team member Duane Solomon, who bombed out of the first round of the US champs, didn't make amends on Sunday, as he was dead last in 1:49.39.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Result | Diamond Points | Diamond Ranking | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
SUD
|
1:44.54
|
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4
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2
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||
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2
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POL
|
1:45.47
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4
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6
|
||
|
3
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MAR
|
1:45.77
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2
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8
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||
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4
|
GBR
|
1:46.66
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|
|
|
||
|
5
|
GBR
|
1:46.70
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PB
|
|
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||
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6
|
NZL
|
1:46.89
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|
|
|
||
|
7
|
GBR
|
1:47.14
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|
2
|
8
|
||
|
8
|
GBR
|
1:47.19
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|
|
|
||
|
9
|
USA
|
1:49.39
|
|
|
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||
|
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USA
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DNF
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||
600m Kaki, Abubaker (SUD) 1:16.86
Women's 800: Jenny Meadows Wins
The women's 800 wasn't a Diamond League event in Birmingham, but it was included on the program to let World Championships bronze medallist Jennifer Meadows shine in front of the home crowd, and she did just that by getting a narrow victory after her compatriot Marilyn Okoro took the field through 400 and 600 in a race where the top 8 finishers all ran 2:02.
QT #1: Here's a weird stat. Okoro has run 2:02 in 6 of her last 8 800s.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
GBR
|
2:02.06
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|
|
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2
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SVK
|
2:02.09
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|
|
|
3
|
GBR
|
2:02.18
|
|
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4
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USA
|
2:02.38
|
|
|
|
5
|
GBR
|
2:02.41
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|
|
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6
|
KEN
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2:02.78
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|
|
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7
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UKR
|
2:02.89
|
|
|
|
8
|
GBR
|
2:02.95
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|
|
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9
|
AUS
|
2:03.14
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|
|
|
10
|
USA
|
2:03.22
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|
|
Other Events:
A track meet isn't made up of just mid-d and distance events, so below we list the full results of the 2011 Aviv Birmingham Grand Prix Diamond League. If you'd rather see event-by-event results, click here.
Asafa Powell led the way with a victory in the men's 100.
Asafa Powell Wins Again
Men's results
100 Metres - Men Final Wind: +0.0 m/s
Pts
1 Powell , Asafa JAM 9.91 4
2 Carter , Nesta JAM 9.93 2
3 Frater , Michael JAM 10.01 1
4 Thompson , Richard TRI 10.05
5 Bledman , Keston TRI 10.22
6 Devonish , Marlon GBR 10.25
Saidy Ndure , Jaysuma NOR DQ
Rodgers , Mike USA DNS
100 Metres - Men Heats Race 1 Wind: +1.2 m/s
1 Frater , Michael JAM 10.09
2 Saidy Ndure , Jaysuma NOR 10.10
3 Rodgers , Mike USA 10.13
4 Devonish , Marlon GBR 10.19
5 Kimmons , Trell USA 10.26
6 Ellington , James GBR 10.33
7 Malcolm , Christian GBR 10.34
8 Collins , Kim SKN 10.90
100 Metres - Men Heats Race 2 Wind: +1.0 m/s
1 Powell , Asafa JAM 9.95
2 Carter , Nesta JAM 10.08
3 Thompson , Richard TRI 10.09
4 Bledman , Keston TRI 10.09
5 Aikines-Aryeetey , Harry GBR 10.23
6 Pickering , Craig GBR 10.23
7 Lewis-Francis , Mark GBR 10.38
8 Hinds , Andrew BAR 10.42
800 Metres - Men
Pts
1 Kaki , Abubaker SUD 1:44.54 4
2 Lewandowski , Marcin POL 1:45.47 2
3 Laalou , Amine MAR 1:45.77 1
4 Mohammed , Mukhtar GBR 1:46.66
5 Shane , James GBR 1:46.70
6 Willis , Nicholas NZL 1:46.89
7 Rimmer , Michael GBR 1:47.14
8 Warburton , Gareth GBR 1:47.19
9 Solomon , Duane USA 1:49.39
Scherer , Matthew USA DNF
5000 Metres - Men
Pts
1 Farah , Mohammed GBR 13:06.14 4
2 Rupp , Galen USA 13:06.86 2
3 Merga , Imane ETH 13:07.63 1
4 Alamirew , Yenew ETH 13:08.78
5 España , Jesús ESP 13:10.19
6 Mottram , Craig AUS 13:11.51
7 Kuma , Abera ETH 13:12.36
8 Birmingham , Collis AUS 13:15.70
9 Cragg , Alistair Ian IRL 13:16.80
10 Geele , Moumin SOM 13:17.77
11 Moen , Sondre Nordstad NOR 13:30.22
12 Buraas , Sindre NOR 13:37.71
13 Vernon , Andrew GBR 13:41.02
Curtis , Robert USA DNF
Blincoe , Adrian NZL DNF
Krummenacker , David USA DNF
400 Metres Hurdles - Men
Pts
1 Greene , David GBR 48.20 4
2 Jackson , Bershawn USA 48.22 2
3 Culson , Javier PUR 48.34 1
4 Green , Jack GBR 48.98
5 Gordon , Jehue TRI 49.21
6 Tinsley , Micheal USA 49.44
7 Sánchez , Felix DOM 49.59
8 Dutch , Johnny USA 50.18
Triple Jump - Men
Pts Wind
1 Idowu , Phillips GBR 17.54 4 -0.2
2 Copello , Alexis CUB 17.12 2 +0.2
3 Girat , Arnie David CUB 17.08 1 +0.0
4 Sands , Leevan BAH 16.96 -0.4
5 Tamgho , Teddy FRA 16.74 -0.6
6 Schembri , Fabrizio ITA 16.40 +0.0
7 Oprea , Marian ROU 16.11 -0.1
8 Balumbu , Nkosinza USA 16.06 -0.3
Shot Put - Men
Pts
1 Armstrong , Dylan CAN 21.55 4
2 Majewski , Tomasz POL 20.90 2
3 Cantwell , Christian USA 20.86 1
4 Whiting , Ryan USA 20.55
5 Fortes , Marco POR 20.42
5 Nelson , Adam USA 20.15
6 Hoffa , Reese USA 20.09
7 Taylor , Daniel USA 10.77
Javelin Throw - Men
Pts
1 Thorkildsen , Andreas NOR 88.30 4
2 de Zordo , Matthias GER 83.42 2
3 Bannister , Jarrod AUS 82.01 1
4 Farquhar , Stuart NZL 81.47
5 Oosthuizen , John Robert RSA 78.55
6 Mannio , Ari FIN 78.43
7 Campbell , James GBR 75.96
8 Frydrych , Petr CZE 67.91
Women's results
200 Metres - Women Wind: +1.0 m/s
Pts
1 Knight , Bianca USA 22.59 4
2 Myers , Marshevet USA 22.59 2
3 Jeter , Carmelita USA 22.62 1
4 Anderson , Alexandria USA 22.87
5 Ferguson-McKenzie , Debbie BAH 22.93
6 Lalova , Ivet BUL 23.00
7 Onuora , Anyika GBR 23.06
8 Hastings , Natasha USA 23.11
400 Metres - Women
Pts
1 Montsho , Amantle BOT 50.20 4
2 Whyte , Rosemarie JAM 50.82 2
3 Williams-Mills , Novlene JAM 50.85 1
4 Richards-Ross , Sanya USA 51.11
5 Dunn , Debbie USA 51.28
6 McCorory , Francena USA 51.46
7 Rosolová , Denisa CZE 51.61
8 Cox , Shana USA 51.63
800 Metres - Women
1 Meadows , Jennifer GBR 2:02.06
2 Klocová , Lucia SVK 2:02.09
3 Jackson , Emma GBR 2:02.18
4 Beckwith , Molly USA 2:02.38
5 Okoro , Marilyn GBR 2:02.41
6 Sum , Eunice Jepkoech KEN 2:02.78
7 Lupu , Nataliia UKR 2:02.89
8 Best , Charlotte GBR 2:02.95
9 Manou , Tamsyn AUS 2:03.14
10 Gall , Geena USA 2:03.22
1500 Metres - Women
Pts
1 Uceny , Morgan USA 4:05.64 4
2 Gezahegne , Kalkidan ETH 4:05.96 2
3 Jamal , Maryam Yusuf BRN 4:06.39 1
4 Clitheroe , Helen GBR 4:06.49
5 Smith , Stacey GBR 4:06.81
6 Måkestad Bovim , Ingvill NOR 4:06.82
7 England , Hannah GBR 4:07.79
8 Wurth-Thomas , Christin USA 4:08.10
9 Clement Moser , Treniere USA 4:08.16
10 Dobriskey , Lisa GBR 4:08.22
11 Buckman , Zoe AUS 4:08.57
12 Belete , Mimi BRN 4:09.71
Shinkins , Karen IRL DNF
3000 Metres Steeplechase - Women
Pts
1 Assefa , Sofia ETH 9:25.87 4
2 Ayana , Almaz ETH 9:30.27 2
3 Britton , Fionnuala IRL 9:37.93 1
4 Parker , Barbara GBR 9:37.95
5 Di Crescenzo , Delilah USA 9:40.63
6 Ouhaddou , Hanane MAR 9:40.85
7 Adamu , Birtukan ETH 9:41.95
8 Duarte , Sophie FRA 9:44.18
9 McColgan , Eilish GBR 9:47.03
10 Inzikuru , Docus UGA 9:54.50
11 Aguilera , Lisa USA 9:58.10
Hyman , Mardrea JAM DNF
Bekele , Mekdes ETH DNS
100 Metres Hurdles - Women Final Wind: +0.7 m/s
Pts
1 Pearson , Sally AUS 12.48 4
2 Carruthers , Danielle USA 12.52 2
3 Crawford , Ginnie USA 12.79 1
4 Wells , Kellie USA 12.80
5 Castlin , Kristi USA 12.91
6 Porter , Tiffany GBR 12.93
7 Vukicevic , Christina NOR 12.95
8 Smith , Loreal USA 13.06
100 Metres Hurdles - Women Heats Race 1 Wind: +1.9 m/s
1 Pearson , Sally AUS 12.57
2 Crawford , Ginnie USA 12.82
3 Porter , Tiffany GBR 12.83
4 Castlin , Kristi USA 13.01
5 Dixon , Vonette JAM 13.07
6 Bennett , Gemma GBR 13.27
7 Hazel , Louise GBR 13.34
8 Smith , Lauren USA 13.59
100 Metres Hurdles - Women Heats Race 2 Wind: +1.0 m/s
1 Carruthers , Danielle USA 12.61
2 Wells , Kellie USA 12.62
3 Vukicevic , Christina NOR 12.85
4 Smith , Loreal USA 13.05
5 Lewis , Yvette USA 13.13
6 Wood , Louise GBR 13.37
7 Broadbelt-Blake , Angie GBR 13.40
8 Ennis-London , Delloreen JAM 13.43
High Jump - Women
Pts
1 Vlaic , Blanka CRO 1.99 4
2 Chicherova , Anna RUS 1.99 2
3 Green , Emma SWE 1.90 1
4 Melfort , Melanie FRA 1.87
5 Jungmark , Ebba SWE 1.83
5 Spencer , Levern LCA 1.83
7 Patterson , Elizabeth USA 1.83
8 Lundmark , Beatrice SUI 1.83
9 Lamera , Raffaella ITA 1.79
Pole Vault - Women
Pts
1 Spiegelburg , Silke GER 4.66 4
2 Bleasdale , Holly GBR 4.61 2
3 Murer , Fabiana BRA 4.46 1
3 Feofanova , Svetlana RUS 4.46 1
5 Gadschiew , Kristina GER 4.46
6 Hutson , Kylie USA 4.46
7 Dennison , Kate GBR 4.31
Ptácniková , Jirina CZE NM
Long Jump - Women
Pts Wind
1 DeLoach , Janay USA 6.78 4 +0.6
2 Reese , Brittney USA 6.67 2 +0.5
3 Klishina , Darya RUS 6.64 1 +0.1
4 Gomes , Naide POR 6.58 +0.0
5 Jimoh , Funmi USA 6.55 -0.6
6 Okagbare , Blessing NGR 6.42 +1.2
7 Proctor , Shara GBR 6.42 -0.1
8 Glenn , Brianna USA 6.40 -0.1
Discus Throw - Women
Pts
1 Müller , Nadine GER 65.75 4
2 Thurmond , Aretha USA 62.65 2
3 Samuels , Dani AUS 62.33 1
4 Grasu , Nicoleta ROU 61.18
5 Brown Trafton , Stephanie USA 60.25
6 Wisniewska , Joanna POL 59.60
7 Nicholls , Jade GBR 58.64
8 Robert-Michon , Mélina FRA 57.80
If you'd rather see event-by-event results, click here.
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