British sprinter runs 9.93 into a headwind at the Golden Spike meeting in the Czech Republic as Femke Bol destroys the world best for 300m hurdles

Reece Prescod made a stunning return to form in Ostrava on Tuesday (May 31) with 100m victory in 9.93 (-1.2) comfortably ahead of former world champion Yohan Blake of Jamaica and fellow Brit Zharnel Hughes, both of whom clocked 10.05.

It follows a lean period of injuries and underpar performances, but the 26-year-old improved his PB of 9.94 which was set in 2018 and it was his first sub-10 run for three years.

“I’ve been working so hard for the last two years trying to come back and today I’ve put a good run in so I need to keep this momentum going,” said Prescod, who was drawn in the outside lane but strode past his rivals in the second half of the race. “That one meant a lot.”

This is how @reeceprescod clocked 9.93 into a 1.2m/s headwind at @ZlataTretra ??

? @ContiTourGold #ContinentalTourGold pic.twitter.com/ftGZOyltVp https://t.co/1SmUr0mxX9

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) May 31, 2022

Prescod was an exciting talent four years ago when he ran a wind-assisted 9.88 and won European 100m silver close behind Hughes. With his tall frame and long stride he seemed tailor-made for 200m but he avoided rushing to the distance citing, among other things, the risk of getting injured by running fast around the bend. Injury struck anyway, though, with a move to train in Florida not working out for him either.

In 2021 he clawed his way back into shape and made the Olympic team and on the eve of the Games admitted that after returning from the United States to back home in London he had struggled with binge eating combined with playing computer games through the night. “Deliveroo was my downfall,” he said.

He got his weight down for Tokyo but false started in his semi-final and then came into the 2022 season in seemingly decent but not world-beating form.

Early season races included a modest seventh place in the 100m at the Müller Birmingham Diamond League in 10.65 but it turned out he had cramp in the blocks. The same meeting at the Alexander Stadium also saw him slated by GB team-mate Richard Kilty for having forgiven CJ Ujah for his anti-doping demeanours. “Reece is not in a position to forgive anybody because he hasn’t lost a medal,” Kilty said.

Then came Ostrava where, at this Continental Tour Gold event, he signalled a full return to form with a time that only three Britons – Hughes, James Dasaolu and UK record-holder Linford Christie – have beaten.

Elsewhere in Ostrava, Femke Bol ran a world best for 300m hurdles in 36.86, easily beating the mark of 38.16 set by Zuzana Hejnova over the rarely-run distance nine years ago.

“I was crazy surprised. I was really hoping for 37 seconds and I hit two hurdles a bit and also was a bit lactic,” said Bol. “This is more than great. I’m much fitter than I thought I was.”

Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia went to No.12 on the world all-time rankings for 3000m steeplechase with 7:58.68.

British athletes were also in form with Max Burgin clocking 1:44.54 for third place in the men’s 800m as fast-finishing Kenyan teenager Emmanuel Wanyonyi won in 1:44.15 and Adelle Tracey running a big 1500m PB of 4:02.55 in a race won by Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia in 3:59.19.