The star performance of the day came from former double Olympic, World and European champion Mo Farah, who raced ahead to a convincing victory in the men’s two mile race.
Farah finished over 200m ahead of second place Zane Robertson and smashed Steve Ovett’s 1978 British record of 8:13.51 with a time of 8:07.85. Fellow Brit and double European medallist Andy Vernon finished strongly over the last couple of laps to take sixth, in 8:27.55.
Lynsey Sharp produced another strong performance after her recent Commonwealth and European silver medals, to take 800m victory in 1:59.14.
Sharp took the lead with 200m to go and secured her first Diamond League victory to beat reigning World and Commonwealth champion and Diamond Race leader Eunice Sum of Kenya.
Fellow Scot Laura Muir finished strongly in fourth with a then personal best of 2:00.67, while Hannah England came through in seventh in a time of 2:01.96.
Despite missing out on a European Championships medal, earlier that summer, Christine Ohuruogu stormed to victory down the home straight in the women’s 400m in 51.40, just outside her season’s best, set two weeks prior in Zurich.
Fresh from European glory, Eilidh Child couldn’t quite catch 400mH rival Kaliese Spencer who beat her to Commonwealth gold in Glasgow. Child was pleased with her efforts on the day, clocking 54.80 to Spencer’s 53.80.
European relay success, Asha Philip and Ashleigh Nelson featured strongly in a very close 100m won by Kerron Stewart, who took bronze in Glasgow. Philip and Nelson finished in third and fourth with respective times of 11.26 and 11.27 to Stewart’s 11.22.
World Record holder David Rudisha dominated the 600m race but young Briton Kyle Langford broke the British junior record with 1:16.30 to secure seventh, with compatriot Guy Learmonth in ninth.
The men’s high jump didn’t disappoint, with both Mutaz Barshim and Bogdan Bondarenko clearing a new meeting record of 2.38m on their final attempts. Despite some very close attempts, neither could quite clear 2.41m and Barshim claimed victory on countback.
In the throws, Olympic and Commonwealth champion Valerie Adams achieved a 55-competition winning streak thanks to a first round best of 19.96m, while European discus champion Robert Harting of Germany came through a strong field to win with a distance of 67.57m.
Eight years on, world-class athletics talent returns to the West Midlands for the 2022 Müller Birmingham Diamond League. The likes of Elaine Thompson, 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.
