Action from Day 1 of the London Anniversary Games

The Olympic Stadium was lit up on the first evening of this year’s Anniversary Games with one World record and two British records being broken, together with numerous World Leading performances, Meeting Records, Personal Bests and Season’s Best.

In the women’s 1500m, Laura Muir took nearly half a second off Kelly Holmes’ British record, set when she won Olympic gold in Athens in 2004. Keeping up with the pacemaker, Laura ran a hard race to move clear of second placed Sifan Hassan and clock 3:57.49. Laura Weightman was fourth in a season’s best 4:02.66, Eilish McColgan ran a personal best of 4:03.74 and Steph Twell a season’s best of 4:06.20

 Laura Muir keeps ahead of Sifan Hassan at the start of the last lap.

  Laura Muir with a cheque for $5000 for breaking the British record.

Just as impressive were a GB & NI quartet of Asha Philip, Desiree Henry, Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita who clocked 41.81 to win the 4x100m relay by nearly three tenths of a second better than their previous best set at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing in 2015. That run, which was also a world lead and a meeting record, will make the US and Jamaica teams in particular take some notice and sets them up perfectly for a tilt at a medal in Rio in August.

 

The French quartet in the women's 4x100m relay

Performance of the night though has to go to Kendra Harrison. The American hurdler who dipped out so badly at the US Olympic trials easily won her heat of the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.40 before going on to run away with the final in 12.20 to break the 28-year old World Record of Bulgarian Yordanka Donkova. In the same event, Tiffany Porter ran a season’s best 12.70 for sixth place with Jessica Ennis-Hill eighth in 13.04 after producing her second best time of 12.76 in her heat.

 

 Jessica Ennis-Hill running 12.76 in her heat of the women's 100m hurdles.

 And being very pleased with the result - her second ever best time in the event

 Kendra Harrison on her way to winning her heat of the women's 100m hurdles in 12.40

And crossing the line

In the final she pulled away even more

 Jessica Ennis-Hill came in eighth in 13.04

 Kendra Harrison overcome with her World Record in a time of 12.20

 

The crowd though had come to see Usain Bolt return to the London track - his 200m race was last on the card. After a false start and a green card had added to the tension, Bolt broke away to take victory in 19.89 – a fine preparation for the defence of his three Olympic titles in Rio. Alonso Edward was second in 20.04 and Adam Gemili third in a season’s best 20.07.  

 Usain Bolt leading from the front in the 200m

 

 

 

In the Diamond League 100m final Jimmy Vicaut, who had run 9.96 in his heat, went clear of the field to win in 10.02. American Isiah Young was second in 10.07, Churandy Martina third with 10.10. Chijindu Ujah finished in 10.16 just ahead of Richard Kilty also with 10.16

Kim Collins suffered a rare setback to clock 12.08 in the final

James Dasaolu wins his heat in 10.14

As part of the stadium refurbishment the track had been replaced with one that matches Rio and the conditions seems to suit the athletes. Shaunae Miller stormed to women’s 400m victory in a world lead 49.55, with Stephenie Ann McPherson, second in 50.40. Christine Ohuruogu ran 51.05 for a season’s best in fifth, the fastest time by a British athlete this year. Emily Diamond was seventh in 51.63, Seren Bundy-Davies eighth in 51.81 and Anyika Onoura ninth in 52.34.

Shaunae Miller winning the final

 Emily Diamond

Eilidh Doyle had to settle for fourth in the women’s 400m hurdles in 54.70 as she stuttered on the final hurdle - Dalilah Muhammad winning impressively in 53.90

 Eilidh Doyle on the start line of the 400m hurdles

Dalilah Muhammad winning the 400m hurdles

Heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson produced a stunning personal best to clear 1.95m in the women’s high jump just short of a British record height of 1.98m. There was also a season’s best 1.92m for fellow multi-eventer Morgan Lake. The event was won by Ruth Beitia with a third time clearance at 1.98m

 Katarina Johnson-Thompson going over 1.95m

 And very pleased with the result

 It was a frustrating night for Morgan Lake though, despite her 1.92m clearance

There was a fast early pace in the men’s 800m which Frenchman Pierre-Ambroise Bosse took full advantage of to win in an impressive 1.43.88 season’s best. British 1500m man Charlie Grice was ninth, but his 1.45.53 bettered his PB by nearly 1.5 seconds

Silas Kiplagat won the Emsley Carr Mile in 3.53.04 ahead of fellow Kenyans Timothy Cheruiyot and Vincent Kibet. Briton Jake Wightman smashed his personal best with 3.54.20 for fourth place

 Wightman starts the Emsley Carr Mile

Kiplagat wins the Emsley Carr Mile

Looking forward to the London Anniversary Games - not long now!

The London Anniversary Games starts on Friday evening and the line up is looking good.

I've seen Usain Bolt twice - once collecting his 100m gold medal at London 2012 and then at a Press Conference in Glasgow two years later, so I'm looking forward to seeing him in action at last in the 200m on Friday, and then Mo Farah closing the event with the 5000m on Saturday.

Mo Farah, 5000m , Diamnond League, Birmingham, June 2016

Getting excited about the London Anniversary Games - Jess Ennis added to the line-up!

The London Anniversary Games will be the last chance for many athletes to finish their preparations for the Rio Olympics.  The Olympic stadium in Stratford will be the ideal place to perform in front of a large crowd.

It all happens at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 22nd-23rd July 2016 and the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt will set the stadium alight on the Friday night.

Usain Bolt, press conference, XX Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, July 2014

Just announced is that Jessica Ennis-Hill will compete in the 100m hurdles on the Friday night and the long jump on the Saturday.

Jessica Ennis-Hill, Great City Games, Manchester, 2015

Having done so well at the venue on 'Super Saturday' in 2012, she says she is "...banking on a good crowd to lift me to a good time".

The event will play host to the prestigious IAAF Diamond League meet on both days.  The IPC Grand Prix Finals with stars such as Jonnie Peacock and Hannah Cockroft will also be incorporated into Saturday’s programme.

Photos will appear here and at www.peverilphoto.com  after the event.

See more details at: http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/british-athletics-series/london-anniversary-games/

Usain Bolt to run at the London Anniversary Games!

Six-time Olympic Champion Usain Bolt will prepare for the Rio Olympics by running at the London Anniversary Games in July 2016.

Usain Bolt, press conference, Commonwealth Games, Glasgow 2014

He'll return to the track where he won three gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics to take part in the event from 22/23 July 2016.  This will be his final race before Rio.

Usain Bolt questioned at Commonwealth Games press conference

In old news (well, Saturday 26th July but I have been busy...), while at the Commonwealth Games I attended a press conference with Usain Bolt.  Getting there early for when the doors opened, I was able to get a seat on the second row, just behind Darren Campbell (woo-hoo).  There was an air of expectation as we waited for the great man to appear.

When he did, he didn't disappoint - going straight into a posed photo with Clyde and some children.

It all started off fairly normal - questions about Scotland, the weather, his form that year....

But then the questions turned to his opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the upcoming Scottish referendum, whether he would wear a kilt and pose for selfies with adoring reporters.....

No wonder the Jamaican six-time Olympic champion threw his hands in the air.  But thankfully, one of the few truly global superstars of the Commonwealth Games, he managed to charm everyone with his trademark humour.