“Competing in front of a home crowd always brings out the best in me,” said British record-holder Morgan Lake ahead of the 2025 London Athletics Meet. “The energy is unbelievable and I’m excited to be part of such an incredible line-up this year.”
It was fitting, then, that the three-time Olympian would go on to earn her first ever victory in the Diamond League with a season’s best-equalling leap of 1.96m in the capital.
In doing so, she defeated Australia’s Olympic bronze medallist and former world champion Eleanor Patterson and Germany’s Olympic finalist Christina Honsel who finished second and third respectively with 1.93m. In a strong field, Ukraine’s Olympic champion and world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh finished fourth, also with 1.93m.
Lake, who has gained confidence since linking up with Swedish coach Yannick Tregaro in 2024, wrote afterwards on Instagram: “This stadium is incredible and the crowd support gave me goosebumps! Thank you London.”
She opened her competition with first time clearances of 1.85m and 1.89m before a scare and third-time clearance at 1.93m. Her second-time clearance at 1.96m was enough for the win – and to give her a boost ahead of attempting the landmark height of 2.00m.
Speaking to the media immediately post-event, the 28-year-old – a former world U20 high jump champion – said: “It was amazing today…and today was all about enjoying it, having fun, and staying in the competition as long as possible. I cleared 1.96m on the second attempt so I was really happy about that, it felt like a big clearance, so when I jumped that, I knew I had 2.00m in there. I had three good attempts at it (2.00m), so I am really pleased with how I performed. I was nearly over it on the last attempt, I just clipped it with my feet, so I know it is in there.”
Just over a month later she proved that it was, jumping a personal best and British record of 2.00m to finish third at the Zurich Diamond League.
She went on to finish seventh in the final of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (1.93m).
The London Athletics Meet will return to the London Stadium on Saturday 18 July 2026. Buy your tickets now.