Ahead of Gold Coast 2018, Laura Weightman, Dina Asher-Smith and Lynsey Sharp were among a host of the home nation’s athletes competing at the Queensland International Track Classic on Wednesday (March 28).

With the teams from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland now in Australia ahead of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony on 4th April, the Queensland meet at the State Athletics Facility provided the perfect opportunity for athletes to test themselves against fellow Commonwealth nations and other international competition.

England’s Laura Weightman, who will compete in the 5000m in the Commonwealth Games, opened her outdoor track season with a win in the familiar 1500m. The two-time Olympic finalist clocked 4:05.89 to finish ahead of Wales’ Melissa Courtney in 4:06.70.

Scottish pair Eilish McColgan and Step Twell finished third and fourth in 4:08.70 and 4:09.67 respectively. Also competing were English trio Rosie Clarke in fifth, Jess Judd eighth and Iona Lake 10th.

In the men’s event, Welsh duo Axe Rowan and Tom Marshall finished 11th and 13th clocking 3:48.72 and 3:54.38 respectively. Australia’s Luke Mathews won in 3:37.16 ahead of USA’s Kyle Merber.

England’s Kyle Langford won a close men’s 800m race in 1:48.29 ahead of Australia’s Jordan Williamsz. Fellow English athlete Charlie Grice, who will compete in the 1500m next month, finished third in 1:48.41 and Scotland’s Chris O’Hare sixth in 1:49.41.

Clocking 2:03.13 Sarah McDonald finished second in the women’s event ahead of Team England teammate Alex Bell who ran 2:03.71, with Scottish medal hope, Lynsey Sharp 0.04 seconds off in 2:03.74.

The race was won by New Zealand’s Angela Petty in 2:03.04, with English pair Adelle Tracey finishing sixth and Kate Snowden eighth.

In the first of two men’s 400m races, England’s Rabah Yousif finished third in 46.81 and Dwayne Cowan sixth in 47.06, with Martyn Rooney finishing as runner-up in the second race clocking 46.88.

Scotland’s Zoey Clark finished third in 52.69 and England’s Anyika Onoura was fifth clocking 53.46 in second of the women’s 400m races. In the first race, England’s Emily Diamond finished third behind Jamaica’s Stephenie-Ann McPherson and Australia’s Morgan Mitchell.

England’s Dina Asher-Smith clocked 11.31 to win the second of two women’s 100m races, with Northern Ireland’s Amy Foster fourth in 11.81. In the first race England’s Corinne Humphreys clocked 11.93 to finish second to Jamaica’s Olympic champion Elaine Thompson.

In the first 100m races, England’s Harry Aikines-Aryeetey clocked 10.65 to finish fourth, with compatriot Adam Gemili clocking 10.51 to finish second in a later 100m race ahead of Northern Ireland’s Leon Reid in third who ran 10.75.

England’s T46 athlete James Arnott clocked 11.87 to finish third in the fourth 100m race ahead of Welsh duo James Ledger in 12.16 and Morgan Jones who posted 12.17.

Earlier in the competition, the England quartet of Asha Phillip, Dina Asher-Smith, Bianca Williams and Corinne Humphreys got the better of the Australian 4x100m team that featured Sally Pearson.

In the men’s race England’s 4x100m team of Richard Kilty, Zharnel Hughes, Adam Gemili and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey. were also victorious.

Anyika Onoura finished clocked 23.85 to finish third ahead of English teammate Alicia Barrett in the first women’s 200m race, with Northern Ireland’s multi-eventer Kate O’Connor in sixth.

England’s Bianca Williams clocked 23.56 to finish behind Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson in the second race.

Matthew Hudson-Smith finished second in the first men’s 200m race, clocking 20.98 behind Botswana’s Isaac Makwala.

While England teammate Zharnel Hughes, who was the victim of a gun attack earlier this year, won the second 200m race in a super quick 20.23, ahead of Northern Ireland’s Leon Reid in 20.90. England’s John Lane finished sixth.

In the 400m hurdles, it was an England one-two with Jack Green and Jacob Paul clocking 49.80 and 49.96. Teammate Meghan Beesley was third in the women’s event clocking 56.45.

World indoor champion Andrew Pozzi finished fourth posting 13.99 in the 110m hurdles with England teammate David King second in 13.92. Welsh duo Curtis Matthews and Ben Gregory finished fifth and sixth in the second event.