Asher-Smith wins 200m at Stockholm Diamond League

Dina Asher-Smith once again showcased her Olympic potential with an eye-catching victory in the women’s 200m on a less than favourable night for sprinters.

In her first 200m of the year, the British record holder coped impressively in a rain-sodden Stockholm Olympic Stadium, fending off a competitive field to claim victory in 22.72 (-0.8 m/s). Following close behind were compatriots Desiree Henry and Margret Adeoye. Henry finished strongly for a third place finish with a 22.88 clocking, revising a personal best in the process, whilst Adeoye opened her outdoor season with a 23.57 timing for sixth.

The women’s 400m saw British champion Anyika Onuora finish superbly in the outside lane for second in 52.46. On the back of two consecutive personal bests Seren Bundy-Davies produced another strong run to finish fourth in 52.71. Competing in her first ever IAAF Diamond League event was European Junior 400m champion Laviai Nielson crossed the line a place behind Bundy-Davies in 53.23.

Out in the field long jump world silver-medallist Shara Proctor jumped to a third round best of 6.46m to finish fourth, with victory secured by a best leap of 6.90m by Diamond Race leader Ivan Spanovic of Serbia.

Richard Kilty and Andrew Robertson looked set to go head-to-head in the men’s 100m, a match-up which never materialised due to Robertson’s disqualification for a false start. Kilty’s time of 10.31 (-0.8 m/s) was good enough to secure fifth following a blistering opening 50m, but the race was won by Turkey’s Jak Ali Harvey in 10.18.

In the discus, British champion Jade Lally threw a first round best of 55.03m to finish sixth, with victory and maximum Diamond Race points claimed by reigning Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic of Croatia.

The penultimate event of the evening saw British champion Laura Muir and Laura Weightman tackle 1500m against a stacked international field, with the former seeing off the attention of her namesake to secure fifth with a 4:05:94 clocking, with Weightman close behind in 4:05:94 for seventh.

Alexandra Bell continued her strong start to the year in the non-Diamond League 800m, the Leeds-based athlete stopping the clock at 2:01:77 for a third place finish.