Ladies’s 800 steals the present
Alongside Noah Lyles’ stellar efficiency within the 100 meters, the race of the London Diamond League was the ladies’s 800m. It additionally units up quite properly the subsequent massive girls’s 800 meter race, in Paris subsequent month.
With Mary Moraa operating Doha and Pre in Could and solely the Kenyan trials in June, on paper she appears under-prepared. However Mary is nothing if not unpredictable. Since beating Mary at Pre, Keely Hodgkinson has run 3 rounds on the European Championship and received Hengelo and London – plus operating 400 on the GB Champs. For the impartial observer, it’s a disgrace that Athing Mu won’t be in Paris, having fallen within the brutal US trials.
The London 800m was as exceptional for the occasions because the British 1-2-3. Earlier than approaching to the winners, it must be stated what a exceptional race it was, with all 10 girls ending beneath 1:59 – and 7 PRs recorded. I’m positive that should you had advised Allie Wilson earlier than the race that she was going to run a PR of 1:57.52, she would have been delighted – however she wouldn’t have anticipated to complete 7th. Equally, Laura Muir should have been scratching her head after operating a 1:57.6 and discovering herself eighth!
The highest 4 had been
1 Keely Hodgkinson 1:54.61 WL, MR, NR, PB
2 Jemma Reekie 1:55.61
3 Georgia Bell 1:56.28
4 Natoya Goule-Toppin (Jamaica) 1:56.83
Hodgkinson and Reekie every took a second off their PR. Bell who will run 1500m in Paris took three seconds off hers. Absent from the race was the third GB 800 runner for Paris, Phoebe Gill. She is operating within the European Below 18s this weekend. You might recall that Gill needed to decline an invitation to the European Champs in June – couldn’t get the break day Excessive College!
Hodgkinson summed up her efficiency: “I felt actually good in the present day, I simply wished to go for it and see what was there. It was a bit of little bit of bravery and fearlessness with a terrific ambiance like this, I didn’t need to waste the chance. The Brits know methods to placed on an athletics meet, I want there have been extra on this nation as a result of it’s the very best crowd I’ve ever run in entrance of. I’m feeling actually good and assured forward of Paris”.
Jemma Reekie stated: “ I simply wished to have a strong run out right here in the present day. I had COVID a few weeks in the past so I missed a little bit of time however I knew if I used to be chasing after Keely I’d run quick. I used to be actually proud of my place, we went off a bit of faster than I anticipated”.
Georgie Bell commented: “I’m a Londoner so it’s cool to carry out in London and I’m loving the expertise. The 800m helps me with velocity coaching for the 1500m, I’ve not acquired any extra races earlier than the Video games only a block of coaching. Till then I’m simply specializing in staying wholesome, glad and hopefully have a great efficiency in Paris”.
It’s exhausting to argue that Hodgkinson has not set herself up because the favorite in Paris. She is so good for the game, the best way she competes so usually. Her resolution to run 400 at GB trials – an possibility open to 2023 World Championship medalists to run a special occasion at trials – was, I perceive, partly a possibility to remind the 4 by 400 relay selectors that she is obtainable if required!
Many individuals will probably be delighted to see Jemma Reekie operating so effectively. On the Tokyo Olympics Jemma was within the bronze medal place till Raevyn Rogers handed her on the road to take the medal by 0.09 seconds, leaving Jemma fourth. Since then Jemma has had an acrimonious break up from her coach, relocated 500 miles from her native Scotland, struggled to get better from glandular fever (mono) to not point out COVID. With all that behind her, it’s nice to see her within the type of her life going into her second Olympics.
If a mere Diamond League race, can produce this type of pleasure, simply think about what might occur in Paris. I’m glad that I will probably be a type of privileged to be there to see it.
