Dutch athlete clocks 8:18.49 at Stanford on Sunday as Laura Weightman goes No.2 on UK all-time lists with 8:26.07

A high-quality women’s 3000m at the Pre Classic saw Sifan Hassan and Konstanze Klosterhalfen run inside Gabriela Szabo’s European record as Laura Weightman, in fifth, enjoyed a spectacular PB to go No.2 on the UK all-time rankings behind Paula Radcliffe.

Hassan produced a powerful last lap to clock 8:18.48 as the Romanian Szabo’s 2002 mark of 8:21.42 fell. But with 8:20.07 the US-based German Klosterhalfen also beat the old record, whereas third-placed Letsenbet Gidey also ran a fast time with 8:20.27 – the Ethiopian having earlier forced the pace in the closing stages before being overhauled by Sifan just before the bell.

Genzebe Dibaba, the world 1500m record-holder from Ethiopia, was fourth with a PB of 8:21.29. In fifth, Weightman improved her best from 8:43.46 to clock a huge PB of 8:26.07. It means she moves above Laura Muir, Zola Pieterse, Yvonne Murray, Jo Pavey, Eilish and Liz McColgan on the UK rankings, whereas only Radcliffe has run quicker with 8:22.20 set in the same race as Szabo in Monaco in 2002.

Weightman also took a number of big scalps. They included world cross country champion Hellen Obiri, the Kenyan finishing sixth in 8:27.27, while Almaz Ayana, the world 10,000m record-holder, finished last in her first race since 2017.

“I didn’t think I was going to run 8:18 – that’s a nice time,” said Hassan, who added that she only began her summer season in earnest a fortnight earlier.

The meeting was staged at Stanford, California, rather than its usual venue of Eugene due to the redevelopment of Hayward Field ahead of the 2021 IAAF World Championships. Fine, sunny conditions helped produce a series of good performances and these included the men’s 100m where Christian Coleman ran a world lead of 9.81 (-0.1) to beat Justin Gatlin (9.87) as Britain’s Zharnel Hughes equalled his season’s best of 9.97 in third.

⏱ 9️⃣.8️⃣1️⃣

"Boy, oh boy! That's the fastest time in the world this year!" ?‍♂️?@__coleman absolutely blitzed the 100m ?#StanfordDL #DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/JKQoE0tIEe

— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) June 30, 2019

British eyes were also on Laura Muir and Dina Asher-Smith but it was not quite their night as they lost their respective races.

Faith Kipyegon took the women’s 1500m in 3:59.04 from Muir (3:59.47) as Shelby Houlihan finished strongly for third place in her first race of the summer.

Asher-Smith, meanwhile, was beaten by an inspired Blessing Okagbare in the women’s 200m as the Nigerian stormed to a 22.05 (1.9) win as Olympic champion Elaine Thompson was second in (22.21) and Asher-Smith third in (22.42).

A lively meeting saw plenty of surprise results, too. Darlan Romani of Brazil was a shock winner of the men’s shot with 22.61m ahead of Ryan Crouser’s 22.17m while Tom Walsh was third.

Romani became the first non-American to win the shot at this meeting and his throw was also a Diamond League record.

A competitive Bowerman Mile was won by Timothy Cheruiyot in a world outdoor lead of 3:50.49 from Ayanleh Souleiman (3:51.22), Filip (3:51.28) and Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:51.30). Behind, Olympic champion Matt Centrowitz was fifth, world indoor record-holder Samuel Tefera eighth after clashing with Jakob Ingebrigtsen on the final bend and Yomif Kejelcha an underpar 13th.

World record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech front-ran to a 3000m steeplechase victory in a world lead of 8:55.58 and there was drama behind as world champion Emma Coburn fell on a barrier entering the back straight mid-race before getting up to finish a fine second in 9:04.90.

Caster Semenya returned to racing with a commanding win in the women’s 800m in a meet record 1:55.70 ahead of Ajee Wilson.

⏱ 1:55:70 = Meet Record

'World-class' @caster800m eases to a superb victory in the 800m race ? #StanfordDL #DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/Bla33SOWpm

— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) June 30, 2019

Another high-quality performance came from Rai Benjamin in the 400m hurdles as he took the win in style in a world lead of 47.16, well clear of runner-up Kyron McMaster.

In the men’s pole vault, Mondo Duplantis beat Sam Kendricks in an enthralling clash with a best of 5.93m.

Marie-Josee Talou won the women’s 100m in 11.02 (0.3) as a strong field failed to put up a challenge, epitomised by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce – the Jamaican sprints legend finishing eighth in 11.39.

Most exciting finish of the day, meanwhile, came in the men’s two miles when Joshua Cheptegei, the world cross-country champion from Uganda, held off the fast-finishing Paul Chelimo of the US to win in 8:07.50 as Selemon Barega of Ethiopia wound up a close third.

Elsewhere, Mariya Lasitskene was in imperious high jump form again with a 2.04m win, Orlando Ortega took the men’s 110m hurdles in 13.24 (0.3), Lijiao Gong of China won the women’s shot put with 19.79m and Mike Norman was the only man to break 45 seconds in the 400m as he clocked 44.62.