Birmingham Diamond League: Asher-Smith wins 100m

Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain defeated a strong field to win her first 100m race of the season in the Birmingham Diamond League competition.

The 26-year-old got off to a quick start and held off Shericka Jackson, the Olympic bronze medalist, in the final 20 meters to win in 11.11 seconds.

Daryll Neita of the United Kingdom was third in 11.14, with Gabby Thomas of the United States in fifth.

In a 0.1m/s headwind, Asher-time Smith’s was significantly behind her 10.83 best.

However, her strong, clean start bodes well as she prepares for a season in which she hopes to improve on her world silver medal from 2019 and retain her European crown in the event.

She told, “It was nice for my first 100m of the season against a really strong field.”

“If I’m being picky, I could have done a few things differently, but I’m extremely thrilled to win against this field and in this wind.”

“We’re aiming for the World Competitions, but we also want to compete in all three championships this summer, so take it slowly.”

“I’ll take that as an opener, though I’m sure my coach will come up with a million things that might have been done better on Monday!”

Laura Muir, the Olympic silver medalist, won the 1500m earlier in the day with a typically merciless display of front-running, setting the pace alongside Jessica Hull before pushing away from the Australian over the final lap to win in four minutes and 2.81 seconds.

“I’m hoping for my first sub-four this year, but I’m content to meet the World Championships mark early in the season,” the Scot added.

“This year, I hope to compete in all three championships.”

Because there were no natural frontrunners in the race, I decided I needed to be ready to win.”

Jemma Reekie, Muir’s training partner, finished fifth.

Keely Hodgkinson stormed clear of the competition in the 800m, looking fully recovered from the quad injury that took her out of the World Indoor Championships earlier this year.

Her victory time of 1:58.63 is the fourth fastest in the world this year, however, she will face a tougher test next weekend when she competes in the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene against American Olympic champion Athing Mu.

Hodgkinson remarked of her performance, “It’s still early days, but it’s thrilling.”

“It’s a confidence boost, and with two months before the World Championships, I want to build on it.”

“I’m on my way to Prefontaine right now, expecting a difficult fight, but it’ll be a terrific learning experience for me.”

The women’s 800m at #PreClassic is going to be spicy 🌶 🥵 @keelyhodgkinson ⚔️ @athiiing

See you in week. https://t.co/U96ZrhQ1xl

— Prefontaine Classic (@nikepreclassic) May 21, 2022

Holly Bradshaw, the Olympic bronze medalist in the pole vault, failed to clear her opening height of 4.45m.

With a mark of 4.73m, American Sandi Morris, who finished one place ahead of Bradshaw at the Olympics, won the competition.

Katerina Johnson-Thompson, the world heptathlon champion, jumped 6.41m, her highest long jump effort since 2020.

In a field of event experts, she fell far short of Malaika Mihambo of Germany, the world and Olympic champion, who won in 7.09m.

With a season’s best of 6.65m, Lorraine Ugen was the best of the Britons.

Matt Hudson-Smith, who lives in the United States, returned to the Midlands and continued his strong start to the season by winning the 400m in 45.32 seconds.

Josh Kerr, another British athlete who crossed the Atlantic from his training base in America, finished fifth in the 1500m, which was won by Kenyan Abel Kipsang.

Britain’s Zharnel Hughes repeated the incorrect start that cost him a spot in last year’s Olympic final after American Trayvon Bromell – the fastest man in the world last year – was disqualified for the same thing.

In their absence, Aaron Brown of Canada won in 10.13 seconds, comfortably ahead of the British trio of Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Adam Gemili, and Reece Prescod.

Jessica Judd, who qualified for the World Championships over 10,000m last weekend, ran a lifetime best of almost nine seconds in the 5,000m, finishing sixth behind Ethiopian winner Dawit Seyaum.