Photos: Getty Images for British Athletics
Results
Josh Kerr had to settle for second in a thrilling Men’s 1500m at the London Diamond League – on a day of mixed outcomes for a large Scottish cohort.
Josh clocked 3:29.37 but victory went to the young Kenyan Phanuel Keoch, who posted a Meeting Record at 3:28.82 as the afternoon programme concluded in the stadium which hosted the 2012 Olympics.
Positive portents for the forthcoming British Champs – in the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham – were not always entirely obvious but a fortnight could yet prove a long time in athletics.
Laura Muir will hope so with another race under her belt in her comeback and Megan Keith and Erin Wallace could feel very satisfied with their solid performances over 5000m and the mile respectively.
Nick Percy was typically honest in his post-event analysis (on our YouTube channel) ahead of Birmingham and the Scotland 4x100m men were left frustrated again by another opportunity chasing the Commonwealth Games standard.
Ben Sandilands had the Scots off to a flying start with a win in the Para 1500m with SB run of 3:48.95.
And Steven Bryce added a solid third place with his run timed at 4:00.13
It was amazing to be back racing at this stadium and getting a good time,’ said Ben.
The first two laps were good, but I was hurting a lot on the last lap. Having a pacemaker was really important and pushed me in that race.
‘We have the World Championships in India later in the year, so races like this are important. My preparation will be the same as always and I will be going for a great performance.’
Young Banchory athlete Luc Macleod was handed a place in the National Men’s 400m race only a couple of days before the meet. Luc finished seventh in London with 47.94.
Cameron Thores had a good run for fifth place in the Para 100m with his 11.85 time improving his PB.
Our Scotland 4x100m Men’s team were in London hoping the Diamond League stage would help propel them to a Commonwealth Games standard (39.44). Unfortunately it was not to be for the team (Allan Hamilton-Krishawn Aiken-Stewart Greenhalgh-Adam Thomas) as they clocked 40.62 on this occasion.
Bradley Francis lined up in the National 400m Hurdles and took sixth place with a run of 51.55 seconds.
Megan Keith feels she is ‘edging back towards my best’ after getting inside the World Champs standard for 5000m.
The Scot placed 16th with Brits running fast and clocked 14:47.34.
Nick Percy enjoyed a rare Diamond League chance in the men’s discus in a high class field. In fact, Nick was the only one of the athletes lining up who has a full-time job away from athletics.
He was frustrated with his 58.89m best throw but still believes he can do much better at the British Champs in a fortnight and, hopefully, the World Champs.
Laura Muir and Jemma Reekie featured in the Women’s 800m with Laura effectively playing catch-up in terms of race readiness after an injury earlier in the year,
Jemma was sixth in 1:58.76 and Laura home in 10th place at 2:00.95.
Erin Wallace was involved in a fast Women’s Mile race and her 4:20.44 time was just outside the British standard for the World Champs (1500m) with the mile time required set at 4:19.90.
That was a PB and second on the Scottish all-time list outdoors.
‘I am still in the fighting for Worlds selection and I think that was about 0.6 outside the standard,’ said Erin.
‘That would be the cherry on top for the season but I still feel I am having a good year – I am in Diamond League races now and the level is up.’
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