The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
O’hare and Muir impress at Oslo Diamond League
ATHLETICS: O’hare, Muir and Asher-smith shine on memorable day
A 1,500m win for Chris O’hare, a second ever fastest 800m for Laura Muir and a women’s 100m record were the UK highlights at the Oslo Diamond League in the Bislett Stadium.
Scottish record holder O’hare tracked home favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen over the opening laps of the 1,500m rounding the final bend in the lead. The home straight saw the West Linton athlete pushed all the way to the finish by Robbie Andrews (USA).
O’hare clocked a season’s best of 3:35.96 with Andrews at 3:36.05.
He said: “I felt good and the pressure was off because I got the European Championship standard in Rome last week, but that’s still a long way off.”
Dina Asher-smith set a UK record placing second in the 100m, clocking 10.92 seconds, a mere hundredth behind Murielle Ahoure’s (Ivory Coast) 10.91.
She said: “I’m over the moon, I can’t believe it! I’m so happy with how the race went and to get the British record is amazing.”
Milnathort athlete Muir contested the 800m dominated by Caster Semenya, the South African leading throughout, cruising down the final 100m clocking 1:57.25. World No 2 Francine Niyonsaba (Burundi) was 2nd in 1:58.57 with Muir 5th in 1:59.09, close to her personal best of 1:58.69.
The Dundee Hawkhill athlete said: “The race went off hard and I wanted to get on the inside lane as it was windy. It was a really good field and I did well but I wanted to run a personal best, although it was still my second fastest ever 800m.”
Jake Wightman (Edinburgh AC) fell away over the final 200m in the Dream Mile placing 9th in 3:59.15, which was won by world 1,500m champion Elijah Manangoi in 3:56.95.
GB sprinter Adam Gemili continued his return after his injury at the Commonwealth Games placing 4th (20.21) in the 200m won by Turkey’s world champion Ramil Guliyev in 19.90.
A week after Rome the re-match over 400m hurdles between Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba and World champion Karsten Warholm (Norway) saw Samba prevail in a meeting record 47.60 to Warholm’s 48.22.