WRITTEN FOR THE BRITISH ATHLETICS WEBSITE
Three weeks out from the IAAF World Championships in London, a host of British athletes fine-tuned their preparations at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Rabat tonight (July 16), as Chijindu Ujah impressed in the Moroccan capital.
In the non-socring men’s 100m event, Ujah (Stuart McMillan) sped to a third victory of the 2017 summer season in the global series – following 10.02 wins in Rome and London recently – in scorching to a swift 9.98 (-0.3) meeting record.
The 23-year-old 2013 European junior 100m champion looked in superb form, understandably oozing with confidence ahead of a home world championship appearance.
Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (Dennis Shaver), meanwhile, finished a fine third just behind Ben Youssef Meite of the Ivory Coast (10.10), with a 10.18 clocking.
The 23-year-old 2013 European junior 200m champion – who has flown to a 9.99 lifetime best this season – will contest the 200m event in London.
In the high jump, Robbie Grabarz (Fuzz Caan) replicated his runner-up spot from Doha at the beginning of the summer with a 2.27m clearance on the second attempt.
The 29-year-old Olympic bronze medallist finished behind Ukraine’s 2014 world indoor bronze medallist, Andriy Protsenko (2.29m).
2014 European champion Eilidh Doyle (Brian Doyle) placed third in a high-class 400m hurdles field, recording 54.92.
The 30-year-old – who was fourth in the London IAAF Diamond League event last weekend – followed home two-time world champion, Zuzana Hejnova of the Czech Republic (54.22) and Jamaica’s Janieve Russell – the winner in Rome and London (54.36).
In the 200m, world fifth placer Zharnel Hughes (Patrick Dawson) displayed an impressive turn of speed off the bend to secure third place in 20.22, an equal season’s best time.
Running in lane one, the 22-year-old followed victor, Andre De Grasse of Canada – the Olympic silver medallist and victor here with a 20.02 meeting record.
Laura Weightman applied the pressure from 600m remaining of the 1500m discipline but ultimately, the 2014 European bronze medallist had to settle for fourth position with a 4:03.07 clocking.
The 26-year-old – who was sixth in the mile in London – took over the front-running as British pacemaker, Jenny Meadows left the track and managed to hold the lead until 250m remaining, until Poland’s European champion, Angelika Cichocka stretched clear for the win (4:01.93).
A week on from her 11.14 lifetime best in the 100m heats in London, Daryll Neita (Jonas Dodoo) finished sixth in a highly-impressive 11.16.
The 20-year-old 4x100m Olympic bronze medallist – running in lane 9 – chased home winner, Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson, the Olympic 100m and 200m champion who scorched to a 10.87 meeting record here.
