Record-Breaking Performances Shine at London Diamond League Meet

Matthew Hudson-Smith set a new European 400m record just days before this summer's Olympic Games, clocking an impressive 43.74 seconds at the London Diamond League meet on Saturday. The event was filled with remarkable performances, including Keely Hodgkinson, who raised her previous women's 800m world lead to a stunning 1:54.61, setting a new British record. In the women's 400m, Nickisha Pryce delivered a swift performance, while Noah Lyles achieved a new personal best. Additionally, Femke Bol's electrifying 400m hurdles display added to the excitement. The sell-out crowd of nearly 60,000 at the London Olympic Stadium witnessed these extraordinary athletic feats.

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Men’s 400 metres: 

Matthew Hudson Smith won the men’s 400 metres setting a world lead, a meeting record and a European record with 43.74. Vernon Norwood and Jereem Richards finished second and third improving their PBs to 44.10 and 44.18 respectively. Charles Dobson from Great Britain, European silver medallist in Rome, improved his lifetime best by 0.15 to 44.23. 

Matthew Hudson Smith: “43 seconds before Paris is exactly what I, my coach and my team were aiming for. To get that world lead and to set me up for Paris is what I really needed to show to the rest of the world what I am capable of."

Women’s 800 metres: 

Keely Hodgkinson delighted the British crowd with a win in the women’s 800 metres in a national record of 1:54.81 in her first appearance at the London Athletics Meet at the Olympic stadium. Jemma Reekie and Georgia Bell completed a British top-three by improving their PBs to 1:55.61 and 1:56.26. Natoya Goule Toppin from Jamaica finished fourth in 1:56.83. New PBs were set by three-time European silver medallist Renelle Lamote from France (1:57.06), Halimah Nakaayi from Uganda (1:57.26) and USA’s Allie Wilson (1:57.52). Laura Muir dipped under the 1:58 barrier with 1.57.63. 

Keely Hodgkinson: “It felt really good today. I just wanted to go for it and see what was there. It was a little bit of a bravery and fearlessness with a great atmosphere like this. I did not want to waste the opportunity. It’s so nice when you are walking through and you hear people shouting your name”. 

Women’s 400 metres: 

Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce won the first Diamond League race of her career setting a Jamaican record and a world lead of 48.57 in the women’s 400 metres. Sydney McLaughlin Levrone set the previous world seasonal lead with 48.75 in New York last June. 

Pryce made a major breakthrough this year when she won the NCAA title in Eugene in 48.89. The Jamaican athlete moved into seventh in the world all-time list.

Natalia Kaczmarek gave Pryce a run for her money and she was rewarded with a second place in a national record of 48.90. Lieke Klaver improved her PB by six hundredths of a second to 49.58. Amber Anning from Great Britain, second at the NCAA Finals in Eugene behind Pryce, finished fourth in 49.63. Laviai Nielsen dipped under the 50 seconds barrier for the first time in her career with 49.87. 

Men's 100m

World champion Noah Lyles stormed to a win in the men’s 100 metres in a PB of 9.81 into a slight headwind of -0.3 m/s ahead of Akani Simbine from South Africa, who improved his seasonal best to 9.86. Letsile Tebogo equalled his national record with 9.88 beating this year’s NCAA champion Louie Hinchliffe and Ackem Blake, who finished fourth and fifth with the same time of 9.97. 

Noah Lyles: “I set a PB and got faster before Paris. I wanted to dip under 6.70m. I thought I was going to get a wind like everyone else. I know exactly where I am exactly ahead of Paris. I knew we would be getting more eyes on us. I have been waiting for six years ! I live for the biggest moments. The more eyes, the better I perform. As soon as I get on the stage when the TV is on and people are watching, I perform. I am excited for the relay, we have been together talking about the World record, but we have got to get those sticks around and we have got to get them around cleanly and that’s what we have been doing the most, communicating.” 

Women’s 200 metres: 

Gabby Thomas won the women’s 200 metres setting the second best performance of her season with 21.81 into a headwind of -0.9 m/s. Dina Asher Smith started very well and looked set for a win, but she was overtaken by Thomas and Julien Alfred in the final metres. Thomas clinched the win on the finish-line ahead of Alfred, who smashed her national record with 21.86. Asher Smith took third place with a seasonal best of 22.07 beating her compatriot Daryll Neita (22.20) and Rhasidat Adeleke (22.38). 

Gabby Thomas: “I feel really good. It’s made me feel really confident going into the Paris Olympic Games after that one. All things considered, hopping off the plane and coming into this stadium with all these people was a really good race for me. The crowd is incredible. It’s got to be my favourite Diamond League. It’s just so fun. The crowd is incredible, the stadium is amazing, and it’s so well run. I am so happy to be here, this was a great experience”. 

Women’s 400 metres hurdles: 

World and European champion Femke Bol won her second Diamond League race of the season improving her own meeting record by 0.15 to 51.30. Bol set the European record on the Olympic Stadium track last year with 51.45. She improved her record to 50.95 in La Chaux de Fonds last week becoming the second woman to break the 51 seconds barrier. World silver medallist Shamier Little took second place improving her seasonal best to 52.78 ahead of Jamaican hurdlers Rushell Clayton (53.24) and Andrenette Knight (53.69).   

Femke Bol: “I truly love to run here in this stadium. It is so special and to put on this great field it is fantastic. I am super happy with my performance today. I am working on my opening and to getting to the first hurdle. I am excited for Paris and put on my best race and I am looking forward to.”

Men’s 400 metres hurdles: 

Alison Dos Santos claimed his fifth Diamond League win this season in six meetings with 47.18 leading three more athletes under the 48 seconds. Roshawn Clarke from Jamaica took second place in 47.63. Ismail Abakar from Qatar broke the 48 second barrier for the first time in his career with 47.72. Kyron McMaster placed fourth with 47.81. 

Alison Dos Santos: “I am feeling ready and prepared for the Olympic Games. I know what I need to do and to fight for that gold medal, so I am very excited. Coming into today I was feeling really strong. During the first part of the race I was pushing too much, but I still managed to win. I am going back to Turkey to rest and prepare for Paris”. 

Men’s shot put: 

World silver medallist Leonardo Fabbri took the win in the men’s shot put with a fifth-round effort of 22.52m extending his winning streak to eleven consecutive victories with throws beyond the 22 metres barrier. Fabbri claimed the second Diamond League win of his career following his win at the Golden Gala in his home city Florence in 2023. 

Olympic champion Ryan Crouser took the early lead with 22.23m on his first attempt and improved to 22.37m in the fifth round. Joe Kovacs threw to 22.03m in his first attempt but he was overtaken by Payton Otterdahl, who produced a second-round effort of 22.13m. Fabbri was in fourth place with 21.62m after the first four rounds, but he moved into the lead with 22.52m on his fifth round. 

Leonardo Fabbri: “I feel really excited. Today was really tough but it was good to end with a big throw. I threw very badly in the past four training sessions an I did even worse in the warm-up. I am really happy because mentally I am really improving and I am really confident for Paris”

Women’s pole vault: 

Alysha Newman had a clean-sheet clearing 4.50m, 4.60m and 4.75m in her first attempt. World champion Nina Kennedy needed three attempts to clear 4.65m before vaulting 4.75m on her first time of asking. Kennedy secured the win with a second-round effort at 4.85m before failing her three attempts at 4.95m. 

Sandi Morris and Molly Caudery shared third place with a first-time clearance at 4.65m. Eliza McCartney and Angelica Moser shared fifth place after clearing 4.65m on her third attempt beating Roberta Bruni on countback. 

Nina Kennedy: “I really love the London Stadium. This is my second Diamond League here but with 56000 people screaming it’s so nice. I would not do a Diamond League so close to an Olympic Games or major competition so it was really about getting through healthy and smoothly.”

Women’s long jump: 

Malaika Mihambo took her second win of her career at the London Athletics Meet with 6.87m in the first round. European bronze medallist Agate De Sousa from Portugal finished second with 6.75m. Larissa Iapichino from Italy, European silver medallist and this year’s winner at the Paris Diamond League meeting, placed third with 6.70m.  

Malaika Mihambo: “I feel quite good about it. I had COVId during the European Championships so I still need some time to rest and come back so that I am at full capacity again. It felt good to lead from jump one. I knew it was not an optimal jump so I am really happy about that. I will be completely focused on the Olympic Games. Physically and mentally I am in great shape and I am just looking forward to it and I want to enjoy it”.

Men’s high jump: 

World indoor champion Hamish Kerr from New Zealand sailed over all heights of 2.18m, 2.22m, 2.26m and 2.30m on his first attempt to claim his third consecutive Diamond League competition of the season following his victories in Suzhou and Monaco. World outdoor silver medallist Ju’Vaughn Harrison cleared 2.26m on his second attempt to finish second.  

 Men’s 3000 metres: 

Dominic Lobalu set a Swiss record, a meeting record and a PB of 7:27.68 to claim the second win of his career in the Diamond League. Grant Fisher and Edwin Kurgat broke the 7:30 barrier clocking 7:27.99 and 7:28.53 respectively. Telahun Hailu Bekele crossed the finish-line in 7:30.80.  

Dominic Lobalu: “It was a great race taking the win and the PB. It was a big battle in the last 150 metres, so I was pleased to come out on top in such a small margin and in a big PB.” 

Emsley Kerr Mile: 

Australia’s Ollie Hoare clinched the win in the men’s Emsley Carr Mile with a seasonal best of 3:49.03 holding off Narve Gilje Nordas from Norway by 0.03. Adel Mechal from Spain took third place with 3:49.21. Three athletes took a tumble within the first 20 metres, including Niels Laros, who got straight back up and finished fourth in a seasonal best of 3:49.65. Stewart McSweyn also broke the 3:50 barrier with 3:49.59. 

Ollie Hoare: “I felt bad for the fallers. I came into the race not to wrestle but it’s tough and that’s the way it goes so I just made sure I stayed clear of that. I felt confident with where I was and with 300 metres to go I thought it was time to make a move. I made sure I worked hard for the last 50 metres. It’s my first Diamond League win in four years, so to win one in London is a special place for me.It’s such a competitive field. You can’ make any mistakes. This was a good confidence booster but as great a competition as it was, it’s not the Olympic Games so I just have to go back to my training base with my team to be sure I have prepared as best I. can and then just make sure I have fun with it”. 

Women’s javelin throw: 

Mackenzie Little from Australia threw the javelin to 66.37m on her first attempt to win the women’s javelin throw. Adriana Vilagos from Serbia finished runner-up with a national record of 65.58m on her fifth attempt. Maggie Malone Hardin took third place with 62.99m ahead of world champion Haruka Kitaguchi (62.69m). 

Mackenzie Little: “I don’t think I even really expected that. I have had a full week where I have not been working and I have had a full eight hours sleep every night and that’s helped so much. I could not ask for more than getting a PB in the last competition before the Olympics but it brings a lot of expectation and pressure. It’s going to be a matter of of holding the nerves in and controlling them”. 

Women’s 4x100 relay: 

The British team formed by Dina Asher Smith, Imani Lansiquot, Amy Hunt, Daryll Neita took a win in the women’s 4x100 relay with a world lead of 41.45 ahead of France (42.15) and Great Britain 2 (42.46). 

Men’s 4x100 relay: 

The Japanese team formed formed by Sakai, Yamagita, Kiryu and Uleyama claimed the win the men’s 4x100 in 38.07 ahead of Australia (38.31) and Great Britain 2 (38.32). 

National men’s 100 metres: 

Eugene Amo Dadzie won the national men’s 100 metres race in 10.12 edging Reece Prescod (10.14). 

National women’s 100 metres: 

Imani Lansiquot won the national women’s 100 metres in 11.12 ahead of Desirée Henry (11.22) and Bianca Williams (11.29). 

National men’s 400 metres: 

Samuel Reardon won the national men’s 400 metres improving his PB to 44.70. Alex Haydok Wilson took second place with 45.37.