Laura Muir and Jonathan Hopkins impress in America and Belgium respectively, while Alex Bell stars in Watford. Elsewhere, Birchfield and Thames Valley both finish fourth in the European Champion Clubs Cup.
In her first race since completing her qualifications to become a vet, double world indoor medallist Laura Muir enjoyed a fantastic start to her summer with 3:59.60 for second in a high-quality 1500m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on Saturday (May 26).
In a race surprisingly won by American Shelby Houlihan (3:59.06), Muir’s late charge brought her home ahead of 2011 world champion Jenny Simpson. Fellow Brit Laura Weightman was 12th with 4:07.48.
Kyle Langford was fifth in the 800m in 1:46.53 behind winner Emmanuel Korir of Kenya (1:45.16).
IFAM, Oordegem (BEL), May 26
A meeting popular with Brits saw Jonathan Hopkins go to fifth on the Welsh all-time list in the steeplechase with 8:30.52 for third, taking more than three seconds off his best with a European Championships qualifier.
Delighted to run a European Championships QT and move to 5th on the welsh all-time lists in Oordegem last night 🏃🏻♂️🇧🇪 ✅ pic.twitter.com/uraC9gbler
— Jonathan Hopkins (@Jonny_Hops) May 27, 2018
Doug Musson was 11th with 8:40.24 and Adam Kirk-Smith was 15th in 8:44.98. On the women’s side Aimee Pratt took nine seconds off her best with a winning 9:50.17 as Kerry O’Flaherty was third with 9:53.00.
Lewis Moses topped the 5000m runners with a PB of 13:47.81 for 11th. Andrew Heyes was 14th with 13:55.40, but Nick Goolab was a DNF. In a separate race, Emile Cairess was 12th in a PB of 13:54.43. Four places behind was Alex Teuten in 13:57.60. Also setting new figures was Abel Tsegay, who ran 14:05.11 for 19th. William Fuller was third in another race with a PB of 13:56.19.
Jamie Webb led the 800m runners, finishing second in 1:46.79 as Daniel Rowden was fourth in 1:47.32. Alex Bowness was eighth in 1:48.07. Mhairi Hendry was eighth in her race in 2:03.06, two places ahead of Leah Barrow, who clocked 2:03.32.
In the 1500m, Jake Heyward was second with 3:42.31 ahead of a PB for Archie Davis of 3:43.09 in sixth. In a different race, Osama Meslek was quicker with 3:40.71 for 10th.
BMC Grand Prix, Watford, May 26
Alex Bell was the star in Watford as she ran the fastest time ever by a British athlete at a BMC meeting with a 1:59.93 clocking to win the women’s 800m race.
It was the Commonwealth Games fifth place finisher’s first time under two minutes and was easily inside the European Championships qualifying time. Mari Smith was second in 2:03.41 and Ellie Baker set a PB of 2:03.87 for third. In fourth, Keely Hodgkinson – already top of the European under-18 rankings – took more than a second from her PB with 2:04.26 to go to fifth on the UK all-time under-17 list.
In a men’s 800m won by Zak Curran with 1:47.86, Alex Botterill in second set a World Under-20 standard and PB of 1:47.95. Michael Rimmer was third with 1:48.39 ahead of Canaan Solomon’s 1:48.71.
Jamie Williamson won the 1500m A race with a PB of 3:41.59 as Jonathan Davies was second with 3:42.32. Jonathan Hay clocked 3:42.56 in third.
Ireland’s Ciara Mageean took the women’s A race with 4:09.11, ahead of Jemma Reekie’s 4:10.10. Jessica Judd was third with 4:12.58, while Erin Wallace in fourth set a PB and World Junior standard of 4:14.80.
Kieran Clements gained victory in the 5000m A race, clocking 13:54.86. Mahamed Mahamed was second in a PB 13:55.21 and Bradley Goater was next in 13:58.77, also a PB. The top two set PBs in the women’s race, won by Emily Hosker-Thornhill in 15:57.35. Charlotte Christensen was second in 16:06.86.
Iona Lake won the steeplechase in 10:12.71, while the men’s race was taken by Chris Perry in 9:05.60.
European Champion Clubs Cup, Birmingham, May 26-27
Birchfield Harriers in the men’s, and Thames Valley Harriers in the women’s, both finished fourth in the team competitions.
Birchfield’s Patrick Taylor was eighth with 1:52.31 in the 800m, while Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Leon Reid, who features on Fast Running in the Fast 10: class of 2018, captained the club and won the 200m in 20.85.
Thames Valley’s India Weir set a PB of 9:51.52 for seventh in the 3000m.
NCAA West Prelims, Sacramento, May 24-26
Britain’s gold and silver medallists from last year’s NCAA Championships 10,000m were in action here. Alice Wright was second in 32:19.03 ahead of Charlotte Taylor’s 32:20.25 for third.
Defending NCAA 1500m champion Josh Kerr won his 1500m with 3:42.62 ahead of fourth-placed Ian Crowe-Wright (3:43.32).
Amy Eloise-Neale was just outside her PB as she finished fourth in the 5000m in 15:29.89. In the men’s 10,000m, Jack Rowe clocked 29:21.29 for 13th.
NCAA East Prelims, Tampa (USA), May 24-26
Jamaine Coleman was runner-up in the steeplechase with a time of 8:44.08. Rhianwedd Price was second in the 1500m with 4:15.18 and William Paulson fourth in his race with 3:46.85.
Rosie Chamberlain was eighth in the 800m with 2:06.94 after recording 2:06.94 in her heat.
NCAA Division II Championships, Charlotte (USA), May 24-26
Thomas Staines won the 800m with a PB of 1:46.56. Just 0.06 outside the European Championships standard it is nearly four seconds quicker than his pre-season best.
In the 3000m steeplechase, Eilish Flanagan was second with 10:00.81 – a PB by more than 19 seconds.
Wingfoot Mile, Atlanta (USA), May 22
Neil Gourley went sub-four for the mile for the first time outdoors with 3:48.43 for second.