2021 British Grand Prix Recap: Mohamed Katir (7:27) Wins Big Again, Trayvon Bromell (9.98) Back in Form in Final Diamond League Before Olympics

2021 Müller British Grand Prix

By LetsRun.com
July 13, 2021

In the last Diamond League before track & field begins at the Olympics in Tokyo on July 30, Trayvon Bromell, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Mohamed Katir were among the athletes to earn victories at the Muller British Grand Prix in Gateshead on Tuesday night. A pair of Americans who won’t be in Tokyo — Kate Grace in the mile and Isaiah Harris in the 800 — also earned victories, but it was the strong runs from Bromell, Thompson-Herah, and Katir that stood out on a night with far better conditions than the opening DL meet of the season, also held in Gateshead in May.

Bromell was a dominant winner in the men’s 100 in 9.98, finishing well clear of the field despite easing up at the finish line, while Thompson-Herah took the win in the 200 in 22.43. Katir was the performer of the night as he outkicked Stewart McSweyn to win the men’s 3,000 in 7:27.64, a meet and Spanish record.

Full recap and analysis of the meet below starting with the distances.

*Full results

Men’s 3000: Katir remains on a roll, holds off McSweyn

Moroccan-born Spaniard Mohamed Katir continued his breakout season with his third Spanish record of the year and broke a Haile Gebrselassie meet record in the process, kicking past Stewart McSweyn in the final 250 meters to win the final race of the day in 7:27.64. Katir now owns the national records in the 5,000 (12:50.79), 1,500 (3:28.79), and 3,000, and remains in ridiculously good form entering his first global championships, the Tokyo Olympics, where he will run only the 5k.

McSweyn ran 7:28.94 for second but was blasted over the final 120 meters, unable to hang with Katir. McSweyn finished less than a second off of his Australian-record personal best 7:28.02, but he made the race happen for Katir, pressing the pacemakers after 1200 meters and leading the race from 1600 until 2750. The Aussie holds five national records and qualified for Tokyo in three events (1500, 5k, 10k) but believes his best medal chance is in the 1500.

The race

The pacemakers, Adam Clarke and Vincent Kibet, were instructed to run 60-second laps, but they fell off that pace after 800, with a third lap of 61.80. At that point McSweyn moved up past Clarke and pressed Kibet, gapping the field slightly. Katir recognized the move and passed Michael Kibet into second place. When the final pacemaker dropped off after going through 1600 around 4:03, McSweyn began to turn the screw, making each lap faster than the previous one. By 2k (5:03.74), it was a two-man race.

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The next lap was a 58.83 and the following lap, up to 200 to go, was 55.82, but McSweyn could not shake Katir, who stuck to his shoulder, tucked behind, the whole way. On the back straight, Katir made his move, drifting past McSweyn but saving a gear. McSweyn responded and held on, but Katir broke him coming off the final turn and pulled away for the win.

Great Britain’s Andrew Butchart kicked hard to win the race for third, running a personal-best 7:35.18 to beat Kenya’s Jacob Krop (7:35.34). NCAA 10,000-meter champion Patrick Dever ran a 31.7-second personal best of 7:37.29 in sixth place, one of ten men behind Katir and Butchart to get a PR. Yemaneberhan Crippa ran an Italian national record of 7:37.90 in for eighth.

1.	Mohamed KATIR	17 FEB 1998	ESP	7:27.64
2.	Stewart MCSWEYN	01 JUN 1995	AUS	7:28.94
3.	Andrew BUTCHART	14 OCT 1991	GBR	7:35.18
4.	Jacob KROP	04 JUN 2001	KEN	7:35.34
5.	Matthew RAMSDEN	23 JUL 1997	AUS	7:35.65
6.	Patrick DEVER	05 SEP 1996	GBR	7:37.39
7.	Michael KIBET	03 SEP 1999	KEN	7:37.80
8.	Yemaneberhan CRIPPA	15 OCT 1996	ITA	7:37.90
9.	Thomas MORTIMER	07 JAN 1999	GBR	7:38.73
10.	Sam ATKIN	14 MAR 1993	GBR	7:39.71
11.	Fernando CARRO	01 APR 1992	ESP	7:41.20
12.	Jack ROWE	30 JAN 1996	GBR	7:42.15
13.	Sergio JIMÉNEZ	07 JAN 1995	ESP	7:47.95
14.	David MCNEILL	06 OCT 1986	AUS	7:49.32
15.	Benjamin FLANAGAN	11 JAN 1995	CAN	7:54.32
16.	Jonathan DAVIES	28 OCT 1994	GBR	8:13.77
	Adam CLARKE	03 APR 1991	GBR	DNF
	Vincent KIBET	06 MAY 1991	KEN	DNF

Quick Take: Katir has come out of nowhere to become a serious Olympic medal contender

Two months ago, very few people outside of Spain had heard the name Mohamed Katir. But after running 3:28, 7:28, and 12:50, any serious distance fan knows the 23-year-old Katir and also knows that he is a genuine medal contender in Tokyo.

His progression is unbelievable: before this year, he had pbs of just 3:36, 7:44, and 13:50 but is now ranked #2, #2, and #4 in the world this year at those distances.

It seems crazy that a total unknown before the year could end up winning an Olympic medal, but it’s not unprecedented. No one outside of the US knew the name Paul Chelimo before 2016, but he wound up as the silver medalist in the 5000 in Rio (granted he was not running nearly as fast on the circuit as Katir).

MB: Katir stays HOT – 7:27.64 Spanish national record for 3000.

Women’s mile: Kate Grace’s European revenge tour rolls on

Despite two rabbits on hand to set the pace, no one was interested in following it early, as rabbit Chanelle Price hit 800 in 2:17.1 with Helen Schlachtenhaufen behind her as the first racer in 2:18.1. It was hardly Price’s fault; the first lap had gone out faster (66.8), but with no one willing to follow, Price was forced to slow down lest she totally gap the field.

Price picked it up with a 67.5 penultimate lap before stepping off, but most of the field remained closely bunched as Italy’s Federica del Buono took the lead from Schlachtenhaufen. That played perfectly into the hands of Grace, who was only 7th with 300 to go but has been in imperious form with three straight 800-meter personal bests since heading over to Europe. Grace followed Uganda’s Winnie Nanyondo as Nanyondo made her move on the back straight, taking the lead with 200 to go as Grace settled onto her shoulder. Coming off the final turn, it looked to be a close race between those two, Schlachtenhaufen, and Spain’s Marta Perez, but Grace removed all drama by unleashing a furious move midway down the home straight, winning handily in the end in 4:27.20 thanks to a 61.5 final 409 meters (30.1 final 209).

.@fastk8 blew away the competition as she finishes with a 4:27.0 for a new world lead! 🤯@USATF x #GatesheadDL

📺 NBCSN
💻 https://t.co/cuSGiJVnrx
📱 @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/lgWNwpUPVD
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 13, 2021

1.	Kate GRACE	24 OCT 1988	USA	4:27.20
2.	Katie SNOWDEN	09 MAR 1994	GBR	4:28.04
3.	Helen SCHLACHTENHAUFEN	14 MAR 1995	USA	4:28.13
4.	Marta PÉREZ	19 APR 1993	ESP	4:28.24
5.	Winnie NANYONDO	23 AUG 1993	UGA	4:29.08
6.	Sarah HEALY	13 FEB 2001	IRL	4:29.38
7.	Rebecca MEHRA	25 OCT 1994	USA	4:30.80
8.	Jessica JUDD	07 JAN 1995	GBR	4:31.18
9.	Marta GARCÍA	01 JAN 1998	ESP	4:31.41
10.	Revee WALCOTT-NOLAN	06 MAR 1995	GBR	4:32.30
11.	Federica DEL BUONO	12 DEC 1994	ITA	4:32.64
12.	Erin WALLACE	18 MAY 2000	GBR	4:35.37
13.	Britt UMMELS	24 AUG 1993	NED	4:36.11
	Chanelle PRICE	22 AUG 1990	USA	DNF
	Aneta LEMIESZ	17 JAN 1981	POL	DNF
	Holly ARCHER	07 NOV 1993	GBR	DNS

Quick Take: If you let it come down to a kick, don’t be surprised when the 800 specialist wins it

Kate Grace has been running so well this month that she would have been favored to win any kind of race (remember, she ran 4:20.70 at this meet back in 2018). But it was shocking to see no one go with the pace early even though the opening 400 of 66.8 was within the capabilities of many women in this field. The slow pace played into Grace’s hands, as she has a gear no one else in this race could match and showed it over the final 100 meters.

Quick Take: It has been a fast (and profitable) European trip for Kate Grace

Grace ran a poor race in the Olympic Trials final to finish 7th and miss the team, but she has made the most of her fitness, flying over to Europe immediately after the Trials and racing four times in 13 days. The sum of her achievements during that span:

-Two Diamond League wins (Oslo 800, Gateshead mile)
-Three personal bests (1:57.60 800 in Oslo, 1:57.36 800 in Stockholm, 1:57.20 800 in Monaco)
-$27,000 in prize money ($10,000 for first x2, $3,500 for third x2)

Not a bad trip, all in all. Unfortunately for Grace, her European opportunities have just dried up as there won’t be another Diamond League until after the Olympics (the Pre Classic on August 20-21 is next on the schedule). And should Grace keep her season going and race the DL meets after the Olympics, she may find prize money harder to come by. One of the reasons she has been able to rack up top DL finishes is that many of the top American stars opted to stay in the US to train rather than race in Europe (Elle Purrier and the entire US Olympic 800 squad hasn’t raced since the Trials). More of those athletes should be racing once the DL season resumes post-Tokyo.

MB: Kate Grace DESTROYS Gateshead field in final 100, wins mile in 4:27.20.

Men’s 800: Harris holds on

American Isaiah Harris, the 4th placer at the US Trials, won’t be racing in Tokyo but he gave himself a nice consolation prize as he took the lead just before 600 and went on to win the men’s 800 in 1:44.76 ahead of Wycliffe Kinyamal of Kenya (1:44.96) as Australian Peter Bol was third (1:45.22).

Americans Bryce Hoppel and Clayton Murphy ran aggressively early and were in first and second just before 600 when Harris charged by them but they ended up not being non-factors over the final 200 as they ended up 5th and 6th in 1:45.45 and 1:45.72, respectively. Another person that the pundits might expect to contend for a medal in Tokyo, Bosnian Amel Tuka, was even farther back as he was just 9th in 1:46.25.

“I was happy with that. I kinda wanted to PR but to get a win is just as good. It was a really good field and I’m happy with how I competed. I wanted to get out a little bit harder, but I feel like I positioned myself well. I moved up and made confident and strong moves and I executed a good race plan,” siad Harris, who moved up from the back of the pack to midpack at 300 and then from midpack to the lead at 600.

1.	Isaiah HARRIS	18 OCT 1996	USA	1:44.76
2.	Wyclife KINYAMAL	02 JUL 1997	KEN	1:44.91
3.	Peter BOL	22 FEB 1994	AUS	1:45.22
4.	Álvaro DE ARRIBA	02 JUN 1994	ESP	1:45.36
5.	Bryce HOPPEL	05 SEP 1997	USA	1:45.45
6.	Clayton MURPHY	26 FEB 1995	USA	1:45.72
7.	Jamie WEBB	01 JUN 1994	GBR	1:45.97
8.	Saúl ORDÓÑEZ	10 APR 1994	ESP	1:46.02
9.	Amel TUKA	09 JAN 1991	BIH	1:46.25
10.	Jeffrey RISELEY	11 NOV 1986	AUS	1:50.05
	Daniel ROWDEN	09 SEP 1997	GBR	DNS
	Erik SOWINSKI	21 DEC 1989	USA	DNF

Quik Thought: Let’s hope this series of races from Clayton Murphy doesn’t result in all coaches never racing people again

Just three weeks ago, Clayton Murphy looked like the Olympic gold medal favorite after running to the US title in 1:43.17. Over the last week, he’s raced three times in Europe and gotten spanked three times, finishing third, seventh, and sixth and never running faster than 1:44.41.

What does it mean for Tokyo? Well on the positive side, Murphy has been perfectly poised to do well in all three of his European races, but his big close just hasn’t been there over the last 150. Considering he missed some time before the Olympic Trials, the fact that he’s healthy enough to race three times in a week is a good sign.

And Murphy doesn’t really care where he finishes in these races. He’s training through them. On Saturday, he did a workout in Monaco one day after running 1:44.

MB: WTF Murphy and Hoppel?! – Isaiah Harris gets revenge and the win in Gateshead

Quick Take: Harris joins an exclusive club

Harris’ win today shows that the US has impressive 800m depth right now. The US fourth-placer is good enough to win a Diamond League, and the US is sending three 1:43 guys to the Olympics — and that doesn’t include the reigning world champion. On the flip side, one could also point out that two of the three US 800m Olympians were just fifth and sixth today in a DL without most of the top African talent.

While Harris will not be in Tokyo, he has now achieved something that neither Murphy nor Hoppel have ever done: win a Diamond League. The five American men to win a DL 800 are Khadevis Robinson, Duane Solomon, Boris Berian, Brazier, and Harris.

Men’s Emsley Carr Mile (non-DL event): Elliot Giles wins it in a pb

Two of Great Britain’s three-man Olympic 1500 squad were in action in this non-Diamond League event, but neither British trials runner-up Jake Wightman or trials third-placer Jake Heyward was the winner here. Instead, it was British 800 champ Elliot Giles who continued his fine 2021 campaign by winning in a personal best of 3:52.49, edging Heyward in a photo finish by .01.

Wightman, the 3:29 man who was fifth at the 2019 Worlds, will not head to Tokyo in the best of spirits; he held the lead with 200 meters to go, but wound up only fourth, beaten by three of his fellow Brits. As strong as GB is in the middle distances right now, the Olympics will be much, much tougher.

“From my point of view that race was shocking,” Wightman said. “My body just didn’t feel very good and with a lap to go I thought I’d be in trouble. It’s not the outcome I wanted at all and I should’ve won that and run quick but it’s just a big block of altitude that just hit me.”

Giles, meanwhile, was in a great mood.

“It was great and really comfy actually,” Giles said. “It felt much better than I thought it would and I didn’t have to go too deep. I thought it would have been a lot harder and quicker but maybe I was just having a really good day.

“I didn’t realize Jake [Heyward] was closing on me so much and then I saw he was coming up behind me so that was a really rookie error on my behalf, but luckily I managed to push through and grab that win.”

1.	Elliot GILES	26 MAY 1994	GBR	3:52.49
2.	Jake HEYWARD	26 APR 1999	GBR	3:52.50
3.	Archie DAVIS	16 OCT 1998	GBR	3:54.27
4.	Jake WIGHTMAN	11 JUL 1994	GBR	3:55.78
5.	Piers COPELAND	26 NOV 1998	GBR	3:56.13
6.	Joshua LAY	11 APR 2000	GBR	3:56.31
7.	Andrew COSCORAN	18 JUN 1996	IRL	3:56.89
8.	Luke MCCANN	12 MAR 1998	IRL	3:56.93
9.	Rorey HUNTER	02 FEB 1993	AUS	3:57.39
10.	James MCMURRAY	18 JAN 1995	GBR	3:58.18
11.	James YOUNG	29 DEC 1997	GBR	3:58.71
12.	George MILLS	12 MAY 1999	GBR	3:58.73
13.	Tiarnan CRORKEN	13 JUN 1999	GBR	3:58.89
14.	James WEST	30 JAN 1996	GBR	3:59.05
	Erik SOWINSKI	21 DEC 1989	USA	DNF

Quick Take: 11 Brits broke 4:00, including 5 first-timers

All told, 11 different Brits broke 4:00 in this one, including five who had never gone sub-4 before tonight. The highest placer of those three was third placer Archie Davis, who ran 3:54.27. The 22-year-old Davis, who was surprisingly 4th at the British Trials, had a 4:00.70 pb coming in although he had a 3:38.46 1500 pb. Still, his run tonight was a big PB in terms of equivalents as it converts to a 3:36.88 in the 1500.

The 10th through 13th placers all ran 3:58 and all broke 4:00 for the first time.

James McMurray (4:09.10 pb prior) ran 3:58.18 for 10th. James Young (4:00.40) ran 3:58.71 for 11th, while George Mills (4:09.68 pb prior), the 5th placer at the Euro U23s earlier this summer, ran 3:58.73 for 12th.

The biggest pb came from Tiarnan Crorken, 22. His actual mile pb before tonight was 4:16.91 (1:47/3:39) and he ran 3:58.89.

Sprints

Men’s 100: Bromell rebounds with dominant victory

On Friday in Monaco, Trayvon Bromell suffered his first 100m defeat since 2019 as he stumbled early in the race and could only manage 5th place in 10.01. The top three men from that race were not in Gateshead today, but there was still a strong field including Olympic bronze medalist Andre De Grasse and US Olympic Trials third placer Fred Kerley. None of them were any match for Bromell, whose race today reaffirmed that he is the man to beat in Tokyo. Despite a poor reaction to the gun, Bromell recovered quickly and was in the lead by 30 meters. From there, he was able to reach a different level to the rest of the field; Bromell ran 9.98 easing up, with the rest of the field crossing in a blanket finish led by Brit CJ Ujah in 10.10.

Final, Wind: +0.4


1.	Trayvon BROMELL	10 JUL 1995	USA	9.98
2.	Chijindu UJAH	05 MAR 1994	GBR	10.10
3.	Zharnel HUGHES	13 JUL 1995	GBR	10.13
4.	André DE GRASSE	10 NOV 1994	CAN	10.13
5.	Fred KERLEY	07 MAY 1995	USA	10.13
6.	Michael RODGERS	24 APR 1985	USA	10.17
7.	Isiah YOUNG	05 JAN 1990	USA	10.21
8.	Adam GEMILI	06 OCT 1993	GBR	10.21

B100

Final 2, Wind: +0.7

Place	Name	Birth Date	Nat.	Mark
1.	Reece PRESCOD	29 FEB 1996	GBR	10.13
2.	Josephus LYLES	22 JUL 1998	USA	10.29
3.	Nethaneel MITCHELL-BLAKE	02 APR 1994	GBR	10.31
4.	Andrew ROBERTSON	17 DEC 1990	GBR	10.33
5.	Tommy RAMDHAN	28 NOV 1996	GBR	10.40
6.	Jona EFOLOKO	23 SEP 1999	GBR	10.44
7.	Oliver BROMBY	30 MAR 1998	GBR	10.49
	Emmanuel MATADI	15 APR 1991	LBR	DQ

Women’s 400 Hurdles: Bol beats Little for third consecutive time

Dutch athlete Femke Bol won her 12th consecutive 400-meter hurdle race, crushing the field by well over a second. Bol ran 53.24, not nearly as quick as her 52.37 (#4 performer all-time) at the Stockholm Diamond League on July 4 or her 52.81 at the Gyulai István Memorial on July 6, but still good enough to beat American Shamier Little for the third time in 10 days. Bol and Little battled to the line in Stockholm and in Székesfehérvár, with Little only 0.02 behind in Stockholm and 0.04 behind in Hungary, but it was not close today, as Little ran 54.53 for second. Bol pulled ahead before the seventh hurdle and opened a large gap, while Little was resigned to hold off Jamaica’s Janieve Russell for second. Bol and Little are the second- and third-fastest women in the world in the event in 2021 (behind only world record holder Sydney McLaughlin), but Little will not compete at the Olympics in Tokyo because she did not make the US team.

1.	Femke BOL	23 FEB 2000	NED	53.24
2.	Shamier LITTLE	20 MAR 1995	USA	54.53
3.	Janieve RUSSELL	14 NOV 1993	JAM	54.66
4.	Jessie KNIGHT	15 JUN 1994	GBR	54.69
5.	Cara Nnenya HAILEY	23 FEB 1994	USA	55.16
6.	Lea SPRUNGER	05 MAR 1990	SUI	55.39
7.	Meghan BEESLEY	15 NOV 1989	GBR	57.04
	Ashley SPENCER	08 JUN 1993	USA	DNS

Women’s 200: Thompson-Herah Wins

2016 Olympic 100 and 200 champ Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica ran a strong curve to grab the lead and she held on for the victory in 22.43. American Tamara Clark, the US 4th placer this year, was close to Thompson-Herah for most of it but she had a disastrous final 10 meters as she seemed to let up just a tiny bit as she went from second to fourth (22.62) as she got passed right at the line by Jodie Williams (22.60) and Blessing Okagbare (22.61).

While the times are modest, we’ll try to get some meaning from this one by using the transitive property. At the US trials, Gabby Thomas beat Clark by 0.37. Tonight, Thompson-Herah beat her by 0.19.

Thompson-Herah acknowledged her time wasn’t great but is excited about heading to Tokyo to defend her titles, saying:

It helps me to build my confidence to get that win on the board. It may not be my fastest time but I’m still pleased with that.

I need to get the work in to get that curve as quick as possible and keep pushing forward.

Tokyo will be my second Olympics and I’m pretty excited now. I’ve been there and I know what it feels like and even though there are no crowds I will hope to put on a show.

Final, Wind: +0.2

Place	Name	Birth Date	Nat.	Mark
1.	Elaine THOMPSON-HERAH	28 JUN 1992	JAM	22.43
2.	Jodie WILLIAMS	28 SEP 1993	GBR	22.60
3.	Blessing OKAGBARE	09 OCT 1988	NGR	22.61
4.	Tamara CLARK	09 JAN 1999	USA	22.62
5.	Beth DOBBIN	07 JUN 1994	GBR	22.92
6.	Dezerea BRYANT	27 APR 1993	USA	22.95
7.	Daryll NEITA	29 AUG 1996	GBR	23.06
8.	Natasha MORRISON	17 NOV 1992	JAM	23.16

Men’s 110 Hurdles: Jamaican champ Levy defeats disgruntled McLeod

Jamaican champion Ronald Levy pulled away from reigning Olympic champion and countryman Omar McLeod after the final hurdle, winning in 13.22 (+0.8 m/s) to McLeod’s 13.42 in second. In a race billed as a redemption run for McLeod, who was left off the Jamaican Olympic team after finishing eighth in the final at their trials, it was Levy who verified his victory in Kingston, starting neck-and-neck with McLeod before having the superior final 15 meters.

Great Britain’s Andrew Pozzi was third in 13.45 while NCAA champion Robert Dunning of the USA was fourth in 13.71.

McLeod was emotional and “heartbroken” in the pre-meet press conference, saying he wasn’t given a “fair opportunity to make the team, with the ridiculous schedule that [he’s] never seen in [his] years of track and field,” which required the hurdlers to race a semifinal in the evening and then come back for an 8 a.m. final the next morning. He further criticized the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association, saying Usain Bolt had been previously given medical exemptions at the Jamaican trials, but McLeod was denied that possibility despite dealing with a cramp the morning of the final.

Final, Wind: +0.8

Place	Name	Birth Date	Nat.	Mark
1.	Ronald LEVY	30 OCT 1992	JAM	13.22
2.	Omar MCLEOD	25 APR 1994	JAM	13.42
3.	Andrew POZZI	15 MAY 1992	GBR	13.45
4.	Robert DUNNING	23 JUN 1997	USA	13.71
5.	Rasheed BROADBELL	13 AUG 2000	JAM	13.84
6.	Tade OJORA	14 OCT 1999	GBR	13.87
7.	Paolo DAL MOLIN	31 JUL 1987	ITA	13.97
8.	Freddie CRITTENDEN	03 AUG 1994	USA	19.26

Women’s 100 hurdles: Sember grabs second DL win

Just as she did in the opening Diamond League meet of the season in Gateshead, Great Britain’s Cindy Sember earned the win tonight. Her winning time (12.69) was significantly faster than it had been on May 28 (13.28) — it certainly helped that Sember was racing tonight in warm 66-degree temperatures with a friendly wind (+1.5) compared to the last DL meet in Gateshead, which was held in cold, wet, and windy conditions (there was a 3.9 m/s headwind on that day).

Final, Wind: +1.5

Place	Name	Birth Date	Nat.	Mark
1.	Cindy SEMBER	05 AUG 1994	GBR	12.69
2.	Payton CHADWICK	29 NOV 1995	USA	12.75
3.	Nadine VISSER	09 FEB 1995	NED	12.78
4.	Danielle WILLIAMS	14 SEP 1992	JAM	12.78
5.	Britany ANDERSON	03 JAN 2001	JAM	12.81
6.	TeJyrica ROBINSON	1998	USA	13.14
7.	Hannah JONES	05 OCT 1995	AUS	13.39
	Alicia BARRETT	25 MAR 1998	GBR	DNF

Women’s 400: McPherson dominates in 50.44

Jamaican champion Stephenie Ann McPherson took a big lead on the second turn in the women’s 400 and did not relinquish it, winning in 50.44 to defeat Great Britain’s Jodie Williams (50.94) and Poland’s Lieke Klaver (51.54). McPherson made the final at each of the last four outdoor global championships and her season’s best is the 49.61 that she ran to win the Jamaican championships, which is fifth in the world in 2021. Williams, running an hour after she ran a seasonal best 22.60 (+0.2 m/s) to take second in the 200, capped a great day with a personal best in the 400, closing hard to pass Klaver in the final straight.

1.	Stephenie Ann MCPHERSON	25 NOV 1988	JAM	50.44
2.	Jodie WILLIAMS	28 SEP 1993	GBR	50.94
3.	Lieke KLAVER	20 AUG 1998	NED	51.54
4.	Natalia KACZMAREK	17 JAN 1998	POL	51.71
5.	Nicole YEARGIN	11 AUG 1997	GBR	51.77
6.	Sada WILLIAMS	01 DEC 1997	BAR	52.34
7.	Ama PIPI	26 NOV 1995	GBR	52.50
8.	Lisanne DE WITTE	10 SEP 1992	NED	52.67

B Heat

1.	Emily DIAMOND	11 JUN 1991	GBR	51.89
2.	Zoey CLARK	25 OCT 1994	GBR	52.13
3.	Hannah WILLIAMS	23 APR 1998	GBR	52.98
4.	Amy HILLYARD	28 OCT 1995	GBR	53.84
	Agata ZUPIN	17 MAR 1998	SLO	DNS

Field events

Men’s triple jump: PPP is easily the best

Portugal’s Pedro Pablo Pichardo, the two-time World Championship silver medalist, only took two jumps tonight, but they were the two longest of the night. He went out to 17.29 meters on his first attempt, and with his spot in the three-man final virtually assured, passed his next four attempts. He returned for the all-important sixth round and got out to 17.50 meters to easily earn the win over Italy’s Tobia Bocchi, who could muster just 16.60m.

Pichardo and Bocchi illustrate one of the negative side effects of the new Final Three format: if you jump well in an early round, there is no incentive to jump again until the final round as improving your mark cannot benefit you.

1.	Pedro PICHARDO	30 JUN 1993	POR	17.50	+1.0
2.	Tobia BOCCHI	07 APR 1997	ITA	17.04	+0.1
3.	Tiago PEREIRA	19 SEP 1993	POR	17.11	+1.2
4.	Pablo TORRIJOS	12 MAY 1992	ESP	16.66	+0.7
5.	Almir DOS SANTOS	04 SEP 1993	BRA	16.66	-0.1
6.	Benjamin WILLIAMS	25 JAN 1992	GBR	16.22	+0.3
7.	Nikolaos ANDRIKOPOULOS	17 APR 1997	GRE	16.14	+1.3
8.	Efe UWAIFO	15 MAY 1995	GBR	15.91	-0.1

Men’s High Jump: Donald Thomas takes the win with 2.25-meter clearance

Five days after we had a 40-year-old former global champ win a Diamond League javelin competition in Monaco, we saw a 37-year-old former global champ take this men’s high jump competition, as 2007 world champion Donald Thomas of the Bahamas cleared 2.25 meters on his first attempt before missing twice at 2.28 and once at 2.30. Italian Marco Fassinotti also cleared 2.25 but did it on his third attempt and failed to clear 2.28. Thomas will jump in his fourth Olympic Games in Tokyo.

1.	Donald THOMAS	01 JUL 1984	BAH	2.25
2.	Marco FASSINOTTI	29 APR 1989	ITA	2.25
3.	Fabian DELRYD	15 OCT 1996	SWE	2.22
4.	Tobias POTYE	16 MAR 1995	GER	2.22
5.	Péter BAKOSI	23 JUN 1993	HUN	2.18
6.	Chris BAKER	02 FEB 1991	GBR	2.14
6.	Joel KHAN	30 SEP 1999	GBR	2.14
	Nauraj Singh RANDHAWA	27 JAN 1992	MAS	NM
	Dániel JANKOVICS	01 MAR 1995	HUN	NM

Women’s Long Jump: Bekh-Romanchuk wins Final 3 in 6.67 meters and has longest jump of the day (6.77)

In the Diamond League’s Final 3 format for field events, the athlete with the best mark of the day does not always win the competition. But that was not the case in the women’s long jump in Gateshead as Ukrain’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk was best during the first five rounds (6.77m in round five) and best in the final round (6.67m) to defeat Germany’s world champion Malaika Mihambo.

1.	Maryna BEKH-ROMANCHUK	18 JUL 1995	UKR	6.77	-0.1
2.	Malaika MIHAMBO	03 FEB 1994	GER	6.65	-0.1
3.	Fátima DIAME	22 SEP 1996	ESP	6.67	-0.7
4.	Jazmin SAWYERS	21 MAY 1994	GBR	6.62	+0.5
5.	Abigail IROZURU	03 JAN 1990	GBR	6.60	0.0
6.	Taliyah BROOKS	08 FEB 1995	USA	6.44	+1.4
7.	Sha’keela SAUNDERS	18 DEC 1993	USA	6.24	+0.5
8.	Katarina JOHNSON-THOMPSON	09 JAN 1993	GBR	6.10	+0.2
	Khaddi SAGNIA	20 APR 1994	SWE	NM	NWI

Men’s javelin: Vetter wins underwhelming competition

Competing in England for the first time since his 2017 world title in London, Germany’s Johannes Vetter, the 2021 world leader at 96.29m, earned the win to make him a perfect nine-for-nine this season. But it wasn’t easy. Vetter only had the second-best throw in the first five rounds (82.13 compared to 2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott’s 82.81), but he was best when it counted as he summoned an 85.25 effort in round six, while neither Walcott nor runner-up Julian Weber could even crack 80 meters.

1.	Johannes VETTER	26 MAR 1993	GER	85.25
2.	Julian WEBER	29 AUG 1994	GER	81.07
3.	Keshorn WALCOTT	02 APR 1993	TTO	82.81
4.	Jakub VADLEJCH	10 OCT 1990	CZE	80.85
5.	Anderson PETERS	21 OCT 1997	GRN	80.59
6.	Gatis ČAKŠS	13 JUN 1995	LAT	77.12
7.	Leandro RAMOS	21 SEP 2000	POR	76.35
8.	Patriks GAILUMS	10 MAY 1998	LAT	73.54

Women’s pole vault: Morris wins it

With world leader Katie Nageotte absent, world indoor champ Sandi Morris of the US took advantage. Jumping on her own poles for the first time in Europe, she won her first competition since April with a 4.76 clearance and more importantly regained some confidence.

“I’ve had a really tough time this last month. I’ve had a couple of bad meets and my confidence was lacking a bit so I really needed today. I decided that I’d have no expectations and just have fun and anytime I jump for fun I always jump high,” said Morrs. “It’s amazing how you can have five bad meets and one good meet and your world flips back to normal.”

Brit Holly Bradshaw also got back some confidence by switching to lower poles to grab second at 4.71.

Pl	Name	Birth Date	Nat.	Mark
1.	Sandi MORRIS	08 JUL 1992	USA	4.76
2.	Holly BRADSHAW	02 NOV 1991	GBR	4.71
3.	Wilma MURTO	11 JUN 1998	FIN	4.61
4.	Nikoleta KYRIAKOPOULOU	21 MAR 1986	GRE	4.51
5.	Molly CAUDERY	17 MAR 2000	GBR	4.51
6.	Roberta BRUNI	08 MAR 1994	ITA	4.36
7.	Olivia GRUVER	29 JUL 1997	USA	4.36
8.	Michaela MEIJER	30 JUL 1993	SWE	4.21

Non-DL Events

Women’s 100: Del Ponte Wins

European indoor 60m champ Ajla Del Ponte of Switzerland got the win in 11.19 over Canadian Olympians Khamica Bingham (11.23) and Crystal Emmanuel (11.36).

1.	Ajla DEL PONTE	15 JUL 1996	SUI	11.19
2.	Khamica BINGHAM	15 JUN 1994	CAN	11.23
3.	Crystal EMMANUEL	27 NOV 1991	CAN	11.36
4.	Marije VAN HUNENSTIJN	02 MAR 1995	NED	11.41
5.	Leonie VAN VLIET	13 JUN 1993	NED	11.62
6.	Jacqueline MADOGO	14 APR 2000	CAN	11.74
7.	Cynthia REINLE	06 MAY 2000	SUI	11.77

Men’s 400: Nicklas Baker wins in 46.24

The non-Diamond League field in the men’s 400 consisted entirely of British athletes, none of whom have the Olympic standard. National champion Nicklas Baker took a narrow win over some of his Olympic 4x400M relay teammates, running 46.24 to defeat Joseph Brier, who ran 46.34 for second. British 400-meter mainstays Martyn Rooney (2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympian) and Matthew Hudson-Smith (2016 Olympic finalist) could only manage seventh and eighth, respectively, in 47.74 and 48.29.

1.	Nicklas BAKER	09 SEP 1994	GBR	46.24
2.	Joseph BRIER	16 MAR 1999	GBR	46.34
3.	Lee THOMPSON	05 MAR 1997	GBR	46.46
4.	Alex HAYDOCK-WILSON	28 JUL 1999	GBR	46.63
5.	Michael OHIOZE	06 FEB 1995	GBR	46.91
6.	Owen SMITH	07 NOV 1994	GBR	47.11
7.	Martyn ROONEY	03 APR 1987	GBR	47.74
8.	Matthew HUDSON-SMITH	26 OCT 1994	GBR	48.29

Women’s 4×100 relay: The Netherlands takes it

In a tuneup for Tokyo, the Netherlands’ quartet of Jamile Samuel, Dafne Schippers, Marije van Hunenstijn, and Naomi Sedney got the win in 42.84, just holding off a Dina Asher-Smith-less British squad, who almost ran the Netherlands down thanks to a strong anchor leg from Daryll Neita.

1	5	NED	NETHERLANDS Samuel J.Schippers D.Van Hunenstijn M.Sedney N.	42.84	42.82	42.04
2	4	GBR	GREAT BRITAIN & NI Philip A.Lansiquot I.Dobbin B.Neita D.	42.92 SB	43.36	41.77
3	7		ALL STARS Robinson T.Chadwick P.Hailey C.Morrison N.	43.45
4	6	SUI	SWITZERLAND Dietsche R.Del Ponte A.Atcho S.Reinle C.	43.46	42.42	42.18
5	2	WAL	WALES Brier H.Odunaiya A.Moore M.Roberts M.	45.25
DQ	3	CAN	CANADA Emmanuel C.Buchanan L.Roxborough S.Bingham K.	TR 24.7	43.24	42.60

Men’s 4 x 100: Great Britain wins with world leader

Great Britain’s Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake got the baton with the lead and managed to just barely hold off a fast-charging Andre De Grasse as Britain won in a world-leading 38.27 to Canada’s 38.29.

Wondering what it takes to medal? The bronze medal has been won in the 4 x 100 at the last 3 global championships in 37.43, 38.04 and 37.64.

1	4	GBR	GREAT BRITAIN & NI Ujah C.Hughes Z.Kilty R.Mitchell-Blake N.	38.27 WL	39.39	37.36
2	3	CAN	CANADA Boateng B.Blake J.Ajomale B.De Grasse A.	38.29 SB	38.49	37.64
3	7	NED	NETHERLANDS Van Gool J.Burnet T.Garia C.Martina C.	38.49 SB	38.56	37.91
4	6	BRA	BRAZIL Bardi Dos Santos F.Vides J.Silva D.Camilo De Oliveira P.	38.57	38.45	37.72
5	5		ALL STARS Rodgers M.Matadi E.Young I.Lyles J.	38.59
6	2	WAL	WALES Azu J.Brown J.Beadsley D.Gordon S.	39.36
7	8		INTERNATIONAL SELECT Bockarie S.Ramdhan T.Efoloko J.Bailey Jr A.	39.43