Bishop breaks her own Canadian record in 800 metre event, finishes fifth

MONACO, France World silver medallist Melissa Bishop is rounding into form at just the right time, racing to a Canadian record in the 800 metres on Friday.

The 28-year-old from Eganville, Ont., ran one minute 57.01 seconds to finish fifth at the Monaco Diamond League meet, squeaking under her previous record of 1:57.02 she set in finishing fourth at last summer’s Rio Olympics.

The fast time comes two weeks before the world championships open at London’s Olympic Stadium.

Canada’s sprint star Andre De Grasse didn’t fair as well in his final race before London. The 22-year-old from Markham, Ont., was only entered in the 4x100 relay, and he and teammates Aaron Brown, Brendon Rodney, and Gavin Smellie were disqualified for a bad baton exchange. The final exchange between Rodney and anchor-runner De Grasse caused the disqualification.

China’s relay ran 38.19 seconds to win, beating beat a pair of American teams who crossed in 38.30 and 38.41.

Brandon McBride of Windsor, Ont., was second in the men’s 800 in a season’s best 1:44.41. Kenya’s Emmanuel Korir crossed first in 1:43.10.

Reigning world champion Shawn Barber was sixth in the pole vault. The 23-year-old from Toronto cleared a season’s best 5.72 metres. Poland’s Piotr Lisek jumped 5.82 for the victory.

In the last Diamond League race of his glittering career, Usain Bolt held on to win the 100 metres. The eight-time Olympic champion was under pressure from Isiah Young of the United States in the last 30 metres but used his famed finish to win in 9.95 seconds at Stade Louis II in Monaco. Young clocked 9.98. Akani Simbine of South Africa was third in 10.02.

Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa won the 400 in 43.73, and countrywoman Caster Semenya pulled clear in the last 50 metres to win the 800 in a world-leading time this year of 1 minute, 55.27 seconds.