Yego's controversial javelin throw approved

Competition officials had initially judged the throw to be illegally, meaning it was outside the sector and that prompted fury and official protest by the Kenyan athlete.

 

Just well after when it all ended at the Alexander Stadium, officials reversed their decision and accepted the throw to count as a new Africa and Diamond League meeting record.

 

Yego walked out of the Stadium with his head down, but he must have jumped to the skies he got to know he had been upgraded from second to first position, succeeding world champion Vitezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic who threw 88.18m.

 

 

Egypt's Ihab Abdelrahman held the previous Africa record of 89.21m set in Shanghai last year. Both Abdelrahman and Yego are coached by Petteri Pironnen   of Finland.

 

Croatia's Sandra Perkovic caught the eye with a good victory in the women's discus, throwing 69.23m which was a meeting record.She outperformed Dani Samuels of Australia and Melina Robert-Michon of France.

 

It was not a rosy day for high-riding Allyson Felix who narrowly losing to compatriot Jeneba Tarmoh, who clocked a season's best of 22.29seconds, a tie with Felix who was the pre-race favourite. Dina Asher-Smith had the home crowd in her favour and finished in third position.

 

The Kenyan contingent carried the day in long track events with Thomas Longisiwa winning the men's 5 000m in 13mins 07.26s, James Maguti - 1 500m in 3mins 37.61s, Eunice Sum - women's 800m in 1min 59.85s and Virginia Nyambura - 3 000m steeplechase in 9mins 24.01s.

 

Botswana's Nigel Amos exploited the absence of leading runners in Kenya's David Rudisha and Ethiopia's Mohammed Amani to win the 800m in 1min 46.77s while South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk won the 300m in an all-comers and world lead time of 31.63s.

 

Some the athletes who competed in Birmingham headed straight to the next Diamond League meet, the Bislet Games in Oslo - Norway, scheduled for Thursday.