British duo Kare Adenegan (coach: Job King) and Sophie Hahn (Joe McDonnell) both set world records and Sifan Hassan (NED) clocked a Diamond League record on a thrilling second day of the Müller Anniversary Games at the London Stadium.
There was a superb world record for multiple world and Paralympic medallist Adenegan in the T34 100m, with the 17-year-old posting a scintillating time of 16.80 (+0.5 m/s) to beat the old mark by over three-tenths of a second.
Adenegan said: “I can’t process what’s just happened because I didn’t expect it at all and I was speechless when the time came up. I thought I was dreaming because I can’t believe it’s actually happened. I knew my 100m was strong because I set a PB about a month ago, so I knew I was capable of something big but didn’t expect that.
“I’m still only 17 and I just want that to carry on at the European Championships. I’m so used to Hannah [Cockroft] winning and she’s an amazing athlete, but it was all about doing my own thing. I wanted a quick time but that is a bonus.”
World and Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft (Jenni Banks) finished second in that race in 17.55.
Minutes after this race, T38 200m Paralympic and world champion Hahn broke her own world record in the T37/38 200m with a blistering 25.93 (-0.1) knocking 0.18 seconds off her previous best.
She won the race by two and a half seconds from Ali Smith (Paul MacGregor). who herself set a lifetime best of 28.43.
Hahn said: “It’s a complete shock to get the world record and I didn’t realise how quick I could go. I felt good and was encouraged to break the world record, it’s just amazing. I’d love to be the double European champion but I need to keep training hard like I have been in order to get that.”
In the Diamond League events, Hassan won the Millicent Fawcett Mile, clocking 4:14.71 in a thrilling display of strength endurance. Her time was additionally a national record and a world lead.
Hassan said: “It’s unbelievable how fast I ran today. I have the endurance and speed but don’t normally have the last kick and today I did. Luckily, I’m able to say I have the meeting record and IAAF Diamond League record but it will be incredible to see how fast I can actually run in the future.”
Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) was second while Kenyan world champion Hellen Obiri was third in a 4:16.15 national record. American Jenny Simpson was fourth in a 4:17.30 lifetime best and Laura Muir (Andy Young) was the top Brit in fifth 4:19.28.
Three other Britons registered lifetime bests Laura Weightman (Steve Cram) recording 4:20.49 in sixth, Sarah McDonald (David Harmer) ninth in 4:20.85 and Jemma Reekie (Young) 13th in 4:27.16.
Kenya’s Emmanuel Korir scorched to a 1:42.05 meeting record and world lead in the 800m to continue his winning streak following victory in the Diamond League meetings in Doha and Eugene.
Three Brits recorded impressive lifetime bests with Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman) flying to his second personal best time within 48 hours – clocking 1:44.61 in fifth place, having registered a 3:36.96 1500m best at the Monaco Diamond League on Friday night.
Guy Learmonth (Henry Gray) ran a 1:44.73 best in seventh while Daniel Rowden (Richard Thurston) came home in eighth with a 1:44.97 best.
Elsewhere South African world champion, Luvo Manyonga put on an impressive display of consistency with five attempts over 8.40m to claim long jump victory in an 8.58m meeting record as Olympic gold medallist from London 2012 Greg Rutherford (Dan Pfaff) waved goodbye to the London Stadium with a leap of 7.55m
Rutherford said: “I’m incredibly emotional and I was fighting my emotions the whole way through and this is the problem. If you haven’t had the training to go off the runway, it’s so difficult and today I went from three different marks just to make sure I got on the board and it wasn’t really happening.
“When I went to plant on the third jump, my ankle was giving me so much grief that I couldn’t push it. It was incredible that everyone got behind me. The reaction of the other jumpers has been amazing because to talk and hug it out today was a lovely way to work.”
Meanwhile, Mariya Lasitskene (ANA) claimed an eye-catching victory with 2.04m in the high jump, equalling her own world lead. Italy’s Elena Vallortigara caused a stir, leaping a personal best to finish runner-up with 2.02m. Briton Morgan Lake (Fuzz Caan) was joined third with Vashti Cunningham (USA) with 1.91m.
In the discus, Croatia’s double Olympic and world champion, Sandra Perkovic added to her Diamond League victories in Doha, Rome and Paris with an impressive 67.24m win.
Perkovic – who won by over two and a half meters – will attempt to win her fifth straight European title in Berlin next month. She said: “I’m so happy that I won here because this is my favourite stadium to compete in. I’m always chasing for a personal best and that will remain my goal. My main goal is Berlin but I want to put on a good show on in the Diamond League finals.”
Back on track, world indoor champion, Kendra Harrison sped to a swift 12.36 100m hurdles victory and world-leading time, from her American team-mate and the Olympic champion, Brianna McNeal (12.47).
Last weekend’s World Cup 400m winner, Stephenie Ann-McPherson (JAM) returned to her winning ways inside the London Stadium, with a strong one-lap 50.31 victory.
Jamaica’s Akeem Bloomfield sprinted under the 20-second barrier for the first time in taking 200m victory, in 19.81 from 2009 world silver medallist, Alonso Edward of Panama.
Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (Dennis Shaver) placed fourth in a 20.21 season’s best, just ahead of his world 4x100m relay champion teammate, Adam Gemili (Rana Reider), who registered 20.30 in fifth.
In the women’s 200m, Jenna Prandini (USA) finished runner-up inside this stadium at the World Cup but she took the honours this time, stopping the clock at 22.16 – a personal best, ahead of her compatriot, Gabrielle Thomas who herself ran a 22.19 lifetime best. Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie) finished fourth in a 22.25 season’s best.
Olympic champion, Matthew Centrowitz of the USA had the best performance of his 2018 season with victory in the 1500m, clocking 3:35.22. Neil Gourley (Ben Thomas) was the first of three British athletes to boast lifetime bests as he registered 3:35.98 in eighth place.
James West (George Gandy) finished tenth in a 3:36.59 best, while world junior fourth placer, Jake Heyward (James Thie) was timed at 3:36.90 in 13th.
Paris Diamond League winner, Ronald Levy of Jamaica clinched the 110m hurdles win with a 13.13 season’s best. The Commonwealth champion – who was also victorious at the World Cup – was followed home by the USA’s Devon Allen (13.30), as Britain’s Andy Pozzi (Benke Blomkvist) finished fourth with a 13.36 clocking.
American Ce’Aira Brown registered a 1:58.57 personal best to take the 800m from Jamaica’s Natoya Goule (1:58.67) with Britain’s Lynsey Sharp (Terrance Mahon) clocking a 1:59.34 season’s best for third.
The British men’s No.1 4x100m relay team of CJ Ujah (Stuart McMillan), Zharnel Hughes (Glen Mills), Gemili and Mitchell-Blake set a meeting record and a world-leading time to kick start the day, clocking 37.61 for victory.
The British women’s No.1 4x100m relay team of Asha Philip (Steve Fudge), Imani-Lara Lansiquot (Fudge), Bianca Williams (Lloyds Cowan) and Daryll Neita (Jonas Dodoo) followed suit with a 42.36 season’s best.
