News
DIAMOND LEAGUE: Birmingham sets Personal Best in Stockholm
Collis Birmingham (Vic) ran a personal best to finish eighth in the 3000m as the Samsung Diamond League resumed service, in Stockholm, post the Olympic Games.
In the penultimate men’s event on the track, the fast paced 3000m saw seven personal bests set within the field as well as three season’s bests. Birmingham was in fourth place with 200m to go and was rewarded with a time of 7:35.45, which bettered the mark he set in Rieti (ITA) two years ago by over three seconds.
Isiah Koech (KEN) won the race in a personal best of 7:30.43 while Olympic 5000m bronze medalist Thomas Longosiwa (KEN) placed ninth.
In the triple jump Henry Frayne (Qld) found his best jump in the opening round with 16.07m (wind: +0.8m/s). It was a mark he would not better and so he ended the competition in seventh place.
Frayne later confirmed this was his last competition of the year when he said on twitter: “Done with jumping until 2013 – it’s been a long, hard season with many ups and downs. The constant amongst it all has been the support. Thanks.
“I would also like to put a specific thank you out there to my coach Gary Bourne – his hard work and dedication is beyond imagination.”
Meanwhile Olympic champion Christian Taylor (USA) turned gold into maximum diamond points with a best of 17.11m in the third round. His compatriot Will Claye was fourth with 16.88m.
Olympic finalist Alana Boyd (WA) cleared 4.31m at her first attempt in the pole vault competition before she failed at 4.46m, to finish in eighth. Newly crowned Olympic champion Jennifer Suhr (USA) was one of two athletes who failed to register a height. While Olympic silver medalist Yarisley Silva (CUB) won with a first time clearance at 4.70m.
In other Samsung Diamond League highlights:
- Six of the eleven Olympic champions on show in Stockholm were victorious once again, including Sandra Perkovic (CRO) who set a meet record when she won the discus with a final throw of 68.77m.
- Valerie Adams (NZL) celebrated her recent promotion to Olympic shot put champion with yet another round of maximum diamond points and also a stadium record with 20.26m.
- With Sally Pearson (Qld) having announced she will not compete for the remainder of the season, Dawn Harper (USA) put pressure on compatriot Kellie Wells in the hurdles diamond race when she won in 12.65 (+0.5) to Wells’ 12.76.
- Olympic champion Yuliya Zaripova (RUS) set a new world lead and meet record of 9:05.02 in the 3000mSC.
The Samsung Diamond League now moves to Lausanne (SUI) on the 23 August and Birmingham (GBR) on the 26 August.
Watch the Samsung Diamond League in Stockholm again, on Eurosport, at midday on Saturday 18 August AEST.
_5170ea404b1b2_w194_h99.jpg)
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletters to keep up to date with Athletics in Australia.
