Robbie Grabarz made the most of familiar surroundings and used that to his advantage as he secured the overall victory. With the Alexander Stadium his usual training ground, Grabarz stepped up his game after leaping to Olympic bronze in London (which would later be upgraded to silver).
Double Olympic champion Mo Farah looked every bit the world’s best as he placed first in the two-mile event, with 13,000 fans cheering him on to a comfortable victory. Fresh from two golds in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the Olympics, Farah never looked like easing up as he enjoyed the best form of his career.
Olympic finalist Laura Weightman did battle with America’s Anna Pierce in the 1500m, finishing marginally behind to take second place. At just 21 years old, the then British champion impressed to manage a tactically demanding race, and the experience gained served her well as she raced to a silver medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Her performance pushed Birmingham-based Hannah England to just outside the top three, with the World silver-medallist working back to full form after a tough time with injuries.
Another of Britain’s Olympic gold medal heroes was back on the podium in Birmingham, but Greg Rutherford had to settle for third place after struggling with injury during the event. With a best distance of 7.88m, the British record-holder managed two legal jumps after bypassing rounds three to five to receive physiotherapy treatment to his groin. Rutherford would go on to secure another gold medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games and an Olympic bronze in Rio – and still remains the British record holder for both indoor and outdoor long jump.
Christine Ohuruogu finished second in the 400m to Jamaica’s Rosemary Whyte with a time of 50.67 – another strong showing from the Brit just a few weeks after picking up her Olympic silver medal.
In the 800m, the hotly anticipated battle of the Brits saw British Indoor champion Marilyn Okoro finish ahead of Olympic semi-finalist Lynsey Sharp, the pair finishing in third and fifth respectively.
Three years on, world-class athletics talent returns to the West Midlands for the 2022 Müller Birmingham Diamond League. The likes of Elaine Thompson-Herah, Dina Asher-Smith, Andre de Grasse, Holly Bradshaw, Keely Hodgkinson and Josh Kerr will be on show at the newly revamped Alexander Stadium.
To experience the incredible competition, get your tickets now: BUY HERE