Birmingham makes its bow on Saturday with the Müller Diamond League and the competitors gave the refurbished Alexander Stadium a big thumbs up at the pre-event press conference

Holly Bradshaw describes the newly-developed Alexander Stadium as “the most beautiful stadium in the UK right now … I think it surpasses the Olympic Stadium in London.”

The Olympic pole vault bronze medallist was speaking at the pre-event press conferences ahead of the Müller Birmingham Diamond League on Saturday (May 21). Fellow British athletes agreed with her sentiments too.

“It’s great to have such a beautiful stadium in a place which is so much of a part of the DNA of athletics in this country,” said Dina Asher-Smith, who runs the 100m on Saturday.

“It’s so exciting to be here and know that we’re racing in the Commonwealth Games in a few weeks’ time,” added para-sprinter Thomas Young, while middle-distance runner Josh Kerr joked: “A blue track is definitely great for the Scots.”

For those arriving at the Alexander Stadium who have not visited it for a while, the area is almost unrecognisable. With track and field kicking off at the Commonwealth Games in early August, the Diamond League this weekend is something of a test event. Certainly it is everyone’s first opportunity to see world-class athletics at the venue since it was re-built.

Among other things the pole vault runway has moved from the backstraight and into the home straight.

“It’s important to know ahead of the Commonwealth Games and how I can plan for that,” said Bradshaw who, after missing the indoor season, added: “I’ve had a really challenging nine months with illness and injury. This is a new phase of my career for me. After winning an Olympic medal I now feel a little weight less and care free. I’ve earned the right to enjoy every moment now.”

Asher-Smith keen to make her mark

Unlike Bradshaw, the Tokyo Olympics did not go to plan for Asher-Smith. But training since the Games has gone well. “I had a really good winter,” she said on Friday. “It’s been good with no interruptions.”

In recent weeks she has dropped down through the distances in races from 400m, 300m, then 200m in Doha last week and now 100m in Birmingham. “I’ve had a solid start to what I think is going to be a very good year. It’s going to be a unique year for Brits and I’m really excited to get to the business end of the season. We have to remember it is only May at the moment.”

Asher-Smith was due to face Elaine Thompson-Herah but the Olympic champion withdrew on Thursday citing minor ‘discomfort’ in training. However, the duo will surely clash in coming weeks and months and Asher-Smith is focused on running well in the second half of July and August.

“It’s been a long time since I ran a PB which has been annoying,” she said. “But there’s a time for everything and I’m confident in the work that I’ve done. I like to run a PB year on year so when I peak at the major champs later this summer it will be amazing to lay down some good times.”

There has even been talk of Florence Griffith Joyner’s long-standing world 100m record of 10.49 falling soon and Asher-Smith feels it is possible, saying: “Definitely, given the advances of technology.

“We shouldn’t put limits on ourselves. When you stop thinking about limits and focus on the processes, who knows what can be achieved? Everything seems impossible until it’s done.”

Thomas aims for sub-11

Gabby Thomas arrives in Birmingham in confident form after 200m victory at last week’s Doha Diamond League – the first event of the 2022 season. The American, who won Olympic silver in the 4x100m and bronze over 200m in Tokyo, clocked 21.98 (1.3) in Qatar on May 13 as she saw off world 200m champion Asher-Smith, who finished third.

This time Thomas faces Asher-Smith on home turf and is aiming to beat the Brit twice in as many weeks over both distances. “I’m looking to break 11 seconds and get a wind legal sub-11, said Thomas. “The stadium looks beautiful, the energy will be great and I’m in good form.”

“I’m building off of Tokyo really well and I feel really fit. I’m running times that I’ve never done at this stage of the season before.”

Her personal best over 100m is 11.00 (0.8), set at last summer’s US Olympic Trials at Hayward Field, whereas Asher-Smith is the current British record holder over the distance after clocking 10.83 (0.1) at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.

Kerr gets busy

Josh Kerr was introduced to the media at his press conference as ‘yogurt-gate man’ following a mildly controversial interview with the Telegraph earlier in the week. But the 1500m runner brushed off the jibes and suggested that his 1500m race on Saturday in Birmingham could be the first of more Diamond League outings in future, which is in contrast to his unusual light racing schedule in 2020.

After earning bronze in Tokyo he says he “went back to work” and added: “Winning medal at the Olympics is not my final goal. I’m not satisfied yet.”

On this summer’s championships and selection, he says: “I can’t take my spot at the World Champs for granted. It’s such a deep event.”

When it comes to his main goal this summer, he said: “As athletes we have to focus on one thing at a time. For me I’m focusing on the 1500m at the World Champs first and after that I’ll have a full re-set before the Commonwealth Games.”

Hodgkinson ready for big week

Fellow middle-distance runner Keely Hodgkinson talked about missing the World Indoor Championships due to injury and getting back into shape ahead of her 800m race in Birmingham on Saturday and then a clash with the athlete who beat her to Olympic gold last summer, Athing Mu of the United States, at the Pre Classic in Oregon next week.

“I think everything happens for a reason,” she said of the minor quad tear she suffered in March. “I think it happened then so it doesn’t happen in, say, June.”

Tamberi excited to give Grabarz Olympic medal 

Gianmarco Tamberi has more than just a high jump competition on his mind in Birmingham this weekend. The Italian joint-Olympic high jump champion is part of the presentation party which is there to give Robbie Grabarz his Olympic silver medal from London 2012.

Grabarz won bronze in the event a decade ago but after the then winner of the event – Russian Ivan Ukhov – was stripped of his gold medal, Grabarz was upgraded to a joint-silver medal alongside with Derek Drouin and Mutaz Essa Barshim. The latter of course shared the Olympic gold medal from Tokyo with Tamberi.

“I’m really happy and proud to be part of the presentation,” Tamberi said. “We’ve [Grabarz] been friends for a really long time and he is somebody to learn from. He’s somebody who’s a great guy and a great athlete.

“I’m really proud that Robbie is getting his Olympic silver medal.”

READ MORE: Müller Birmingham Diamond League preview

In an interview with British Athletics, Grabarz said: “I am grateful for the efforts to enable me to receive the medal in Birmingham and it will be great to be in the new-look stadium for the presentation. I am so pleased that the Olympic champion Gianmarco Tamberi is competing in the high jump on the day.

“Us high jumpers are good friends, our only opponent is the bar, so for him as Olympic champion to be there in the arena to celebrate it with me is a great honour and I’m looking forward to seeing all those guys compete again.”