LOS ANGELES – Tiger Woods ended his third round at Riviera in fitting fashion – with a three-putt from 12 feet.

It was a disastrous day on the greens for Woods, who took 33 putts, missed eight times inside 10 feet and lost nearly five strokes to the field on the greens during a dismal 76 that plummeted him down the leaderboard at his Genesis Invitational.

When asked if there was anything positive to glean from the day, Woods smirked: “Well, I’m done.”

Historically Woods has struggled to putt Riviera’s bumpy poa annua greens, one of the main reasons why he’s yet to win at one of the country’s most iconic venues. After an encouraging start to the week, however, Woods has looked lost with his line and speed. He holed only 47 feet worth of putts in the second round, then recorded a four-putt from 18 feet and had several other close misses Saturday.

“I didn’t putt well today at all,” he said. “I didn’t have a feel for it. I didn’t see my lines. I couldn’t feel my pace. I was just off.”

Woods lost 4.821 strokes to the field on the greens – the second worst of any player in the third round. For the week, he’s needed 88 putts and lost more than 5.5 strokes – ranked 66th out of the 68 players who made the cut.

Barcelona's various Twitter accounts were hacked on Saturday with the perpetrators declaring that Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar will return to the club.

A series of tweets appeared across the club's accounts in different languages on Saturday following the club's 2-1 win over Getafe in La Liga.

One post shared a photoshopped image of Neymar in Barca's latest shirt with a series of question marks and a later post added: "Well, we read some private messages and it look [sic] like Neymar will be back here."

Neymar has been linked with a return to Barca since he left for PSG in 2017 and he came close to re-joining the club last year. Sources have told ESPN that the Catalan club are considering making a renewed attempt to sign him this summer.

Another tweet from the hackers called for the club's president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, to resign, while another one saw the group known as OurMine take responsibility for the posts.

It's the second time the group has taken over Barca's Twitter accounts and the third time the Spanish champions have been hacked -- activists claiming to be the Syrian Electronic Army managed to post a series of tweets in 2014.

"Hi, we are OurMine," said another post on Saturday by the group that has previously taken over the accounts of a number of companies, including Netflix, HBO and Playstation.

"Well, this is the second time, the security level is still not the best."

Barca quickly deleted the posts before confirming they had been hacked in a short statement.

"FC Barcelona's Twitter accounts have been hacked, which is why messages from outside our club have appeared, and which have been reported and deleted," the club said.

"We will conduct a cybersecurity audit and will review all protocols and links with third-party tools, in order to avoid such incidents and to guarantee the best service to our members and fans. We apologise for any inconvenience this situation may have caused."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he had sympathy for his Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola in the wake of the English champions' two-year ban from European football dished out by UEFA for allegedly breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

With City's domestic title challenge all but over -- Liverpool 25 points ahead after beating Norwich City 1-0 away on Saturday -- Klopp said the news on Friday about the European ban for the Manchester club had taken him by surprise.

"It was a shock. Complete wow!" he told Sky Sports after the match. "The only thing I can say is about football. What they have done on the football pitch is exceptional. The rest, I don't know.

"I really feel for them, Pep and the players, but that is how it is. They can appeal so we will see what happens then. It is obviously serious.

"But the football they played was exceptional and will always be exceptional."

European soccer's governing body UEFA said City had committed "serious breaches" of its FFP regulations by "overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and 2016."

City denied any wrongdoing and said they will appeal to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

When asked about his own team's success on Saturday, Klopp could only call it "insane."

Liverpool need 15 more points to wrap-up the Premier League trophy and the only question is when, not if, Liverpool will be crowned as English champions for the first time in 30 years.

"It's so insane I don't understand it," Klopp said. "I'm not smart enough, it's difficult. Never had that before and I've no clue how it happened really. It's just we are focused on what we are doing and it feels really good.

"It's outstanding. It's so difficult. You go in after the game and analyse the game and then say, 'Oh yeah, yeah, we won the game congratulations.' It's outstanding. You count the points and it's three more. It's unbelievable."

Klopp's side were not at their clinical best against a battling Norwich side who held out for almost 80 minutes before substitute Sadio Mane drilled home a late winner.

"Fabinho coming on was very important for the organisation. Sadio was fresh and he helped us to win the game, which was outstanding. I have to watch the goal back but I'm pretty sure it was a fantastic finish," added Klopp.

"I could tell in all the players faces that they weren't nervous, they were enjoying it, and if one team was going to score it was going to be us."

NORWICH, England -- So Liverpool win again and the incredible run goes on. It was a 1-0 result, in the wind and rain, against a Norwich City team that has been anchored to the foot of the Premier League for longer than anyone at Carrow Road cares to remember. Straightforward? Not in the slightest.

This was one of Liverpool's toughest 90 minutes of the season, a game in which they had to dig deeper than usual in order to secure the win. The fact that they had to work so hard for the three points is a testament to the depth of the Premier League.

When, not if, Liverpool are confirmed as champions, there will be some who suggest that their success is compromised by the failure of the other 19 top-flight teams to push them all the way.

Statistically, Liverpool's record makes the Premier League look weak. Every win -- this was their 17th in succession, leaving them one behind Manchester City's record of 18 -- points to a lack of quality facing them every week. They have now scored in 35 consecutive league games and only Arsenal (55 games between May 2001 and November 2002) and Manchester United (36 games between December 2007 and November 2008) can better that. If they avoid defeat for seven more league games and make it 50 unbeaten, they will write Arsenal's Invincibles out of the record books by establishing the longest run without defeat in English top-flight history, dating back to the 19th century.

While all of the above may point to the Premier League lacking the strength and depth, maybe the reality is that it actually emphasises just how good this Liverpool team are. Norwich City, statistically the worst team in the league, helped Liverpool prove that by pushing them all the way on a night when even the foul weather conditions courtesy of Storm Dennis couldn't blow Jurgen Klopp's team off course.

Norwich started the day 55 points behind the leaders. They were no-hopers in every sense, but it could have been a different story for Liverpool had the home side taken their chances -- most notably when Alex Tettey rattled Alisson's post midway through the second half.

Sadio Mane's 78th-minute goal -- the Senegalese forward's 100th in English football -- was enough to clinch Liverpool's 25th win in 26 league games so far this season, and the victory extended their lead at the top to 25 points over second-placed City. But we are now at the stage where the points and numbers really only matter for the history books, because Klopp's team are destined to win the title in record time and this latest victory ensured that Liverpool remain on course to end their 30-year wait to be champions before they visit City at the Etihad next month.

"The gap is so insane, I don't really understand it," Klopp said. "I'm not smart enough. I've not had that before.

"It's outstanding, it's so difficult. I go back into the changing room and we chat about the things and then I'm like, 'Oh, but congratulations. We won the game, another three points.'"

Norwich's performance in this game was an example of the challenges that Liverpool, and every Premier League title winner, must overcome to emerge as champions. Back in September, Daniel Farke's team produced one of the shocks of the season by beating City 3-2 at Carrow Road. They also gave Liverpool a scare at Anfield on the opening weekend before sliding to a 4-1 defeat.

Liverpool have also beaten Crystal Palace by the odd goal, seen Aston Villa deny them until the final seconds of stoppage time and toiled to victory against Brighton. Klopp's team ended up winning all of those games, but none of them could be described as easy fixtures in which they coasted to victory.

Teams in the bottom half of the table have made Liverpool earn their victories this season. None has rolled over and gifted them the points.

Liverpool, however, have always found a way to win. In the one game from which they didn't emerge with three points, against Manchester United at Old Trafford in October, it was their refusal to be beaten that drove them to earn a draw through Adam Lallana's late equaliser.

So while it is tempting to decry the lack of depth and quality, the reality of the games points to a different story. And when Liverpool lift the Premier League trophy, it will be because they have overcome every challenge that has been thrown at them. Even by the team sitting at the bottom of the table.

CHICAGO -- Soon after Dwight Howard officially announced in late January that he would participate in the 2020 slam dunk competition, he said he hoped Kobe Bryant would work with him during the event. The Lakers' big man learned of Bryant's death in a helicopter crash a few days later on Jan. 26 when Howard was on a cross-country flight back to Los Angeles.

On Saturday in Chicago, Howard was asked by reporters if Bryant would somehow be honored or incorporated into one of his dunks. He smiled brightly and nodded slightly.

"You'll have to wait and see," Howard said coyly.

Saturday night will be the first dunk competition that Howard had participated in since 2008. He won that contest after pulling out a superman cape, taking off from the free throw line and slamming down a right-handed jam.

Since then, though, the contest participant pool has drastically changed. For the last several years, the NBA has struggled to entice its superstars to participate in the competition. Often times, players that are at the end of the bench and see "garbage time" minutes are the ones that submit their names to dunk during All-Star Weekend.

Howard said that he doesn't see that trend reversing itself any time soon.

"During All-Star Weekend, a lot of guys are getting ready for the second half of the season," Howard said. "So it is pretty hard to get those guys to want to be in the dunk contest. But, this is the thing that I enjoy. I have been dunking my whole life basically."

Howard went on to say that for him, it's unimportant if his dunk contest opponents are All-Stars or unknown rookies -- he just wants to dunk. In light of his multiple back surgeries, Howard said that it was just important for him to still have the ability to execute dunk-contest caliber slams.

The itch to enter the 2020 dunk contest was reinvigorated last summer in Los Angeles, Howard said on Saturday morning. He participated in a dunk contest on a court in Venice Beach. The crowd that "street dunk contests" generally attract are vocal and colorful. The fans that day, Howard said, were no different.

"After we finished dunking, I was like, 'Man, that felt really good to really get the crowd into it and just enjoy dunking and basketball again,'" Howard said. "I was super surprised that I was able to get up and dunk like that. So I said, from that moment on I was going to try to get myself ready for the dunk contest."

Falling asleep was a challenge for Dwight Howard the night before the 2020 All-Star dunk contest.

"I am just so excited to be back," Howard said. "I couldn't sleep last night. I was jumping around my room just like, I can't wait to get back out there."

He was still bouncing when he arrived at Wintrust Arena to talk to reporters and fans about what he had planned for his dunking return.

CHICAGO -- Joel Embiid has heard all of the chatter about the awkward fit between him and fellow Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons on the court, and whether the two of them are capable of winning at the highest levels playing together -- noises that have only grown louder as the Sixers enter the All-Star break in fifth place in the NBA's Eastern Conference.

He has a message for the doubters: just wait.

"I think it's B.S.," Embiid said here Saturday morning before All-Star practice, "because when you look at the last couple years, the last two years that we've been playing together, it's not a problem. This year it's only been a problem because our offense has struggled.

"It's definitely going to be better after the All-Star break. I mean, just look at the last two years, what we've been able to do. I think it can work, and it's going to work."

As Embiid said, the issues for him and Simmons come -- like they do for the Sixers in general -- on the offensive end. Philadelphia's size has worked as it was expected to at the defensive end, where the Sixers are ranked fourth in defensive rating, per NBA.com. Offensively, however, things have been a very different story, as the Sixers rank 20th, which is not nearly good enough to be the championship contender this team was expected to be entering the season.

As a result, much of the heat for those struggles has fallen on the shoulders of the team's two frontline stars, and the ongoing awkwardness of Simmons' unwillingness to shoot 3-pointers and the desire for just about all of Philadelphia's starting lineup to try to take advantage of size mismatches by posting up inside. And while the Sixers are outscoring teams by 2.3 points per 100 possessions overall, that number drops to 1.3 when Simmons and Embiid play together.

Still, they both continue to maintain that their partnership is a good one, and that it will continue to improve as they get used to their new-look supporting cast, which includes the additions of Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III in a trade from the Golden State Warriors before the trade deadline last week.

"It takes time," Simmons said. "Not everything is perfect. Not everything works right away. I love playing with Joel. I think he's an amazing talent, a guy I respect for his game, and I know he feels the same way about me. We continue to go the right way.

"There's so many different things that we haven't tried. We've got a lot of talent. It's scary how good we can be."

It will also help if the Sixers can keep their whole team on the court, as both Embiid and Josh Richardson have spent lengthy periods on the sideline with injuries. They should be operating at full strength coming out of the All-Star break, however, and will need things to stay that way in order to get back into the mix for a top seed in the East playoffs. Philadelphia currently sits two losses behind the Miami Heat for fourth place in the East, five behind the Boston Celtics for third and six behind the Toronto Raptors for second.

Meanwhile, when the Sixers open up against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday in Philadelphia, Embiid said that one other important thing will be different: the old version of himself -- the trash-talking, social media-using one that disappeared for much of the first half of the season, only to reappear last weekend -- is officially back for good.

"Because I'm back to being myself," he said with a smile. "I think it starts with me, especially with the way we've been struggling on the road. Just me bringing our passion back, and I've always had the passion, but I haven't been able to show it because I've been trying to be a changed man, I guess. It's just me going back to being myself and having fun and talking trash, and I think it's going to help a lot."

It's not good to be a member of the Houston Astros these days. In fact, for two Little Leagues based in California, nobody will be a member of the Astros.

The Long Beach Little League and the East Fullerton Little League have both banned the use of "Astros" from their teams this year after the major league team was found to have illegally stolen signs en route to winning the 2017 World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Parents are disgusted," Long Beach Little League president Steve Klaus told the Orange County Register. "They are disgusted with the Astros and their lack of ownership and accountability. We know there's more to this scandal. What's coming tomorrow? With the Astros, you've got premeditated cheating."

An investigation by Major League Baseball determined the Astros used a center-field camera for real-time video of catchers' signs and subsequently banged a trash can to alert hitters of incoming pitches, confirming comments made by Mike Fiers to The Athletic a few months earlier.

The sign-stealing practice -- which also included the more conventional method of using the video replay room to decode signs and relay them to a runner on second base -- extended into the 2017 postseason, when the Astros defeated the Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.

The Los Angeles City Council even went as far as to unanimously approve a resolution urging Major League Baseball to strip World Series championships from the Astros and the Boston Red Sox, who are also under investigation for stealing signs, and award the titles to the Dodgers.

East Fullerton Little League president Greg Taylor said two teams have already changed names from the Astros.

"Our league received negative feedback from parents who felt Astros name was equated with impropriety," Taylor told the Register.

The Long Beach Little League is considering a permanent ban of the name after this season.

"Our mission statement has the words 'character' and 'integrity,'" Klaus told the Register. "It's hard to develop integrity and character when you see [cheating] at the top level."

MESA, Ariz. -- The first baseball trade in almost 30 years between two teams separated only by a bay and a bridge happened Saturday, when the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics completed a deal.

In a move to add experience to their bullpen, the A's got right-hander Burch Smith from the Giants for cash.

The last time Oakland and San Francisco made a trade was on Dec. 4, 1990, when the Athletics acquired outfielder Ernest Riles from the Giants for outfielder Darren Lewis and minor league pitcher Pedro Pena.

"So that broke the string, huh?" Oakland manager Bob Melvin said.

Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi worked for the A's as their assistant general manager from 2011-14. Zaidi and Oakland general manager David Forst and executive Billy Beane figured they'd talk about deals at some point.

"Anytime they feel like they make an upgrade, even if it's incremental, you do it," Melvin said.

Smith was designated for assignment by the Giants last week. He posted a 2.08 ERA in 10 games for them last season after being claimed off waivers from Milwaukee in mid-August. Smith had a 7.82 ERA in seven games for the Brewers before being let go.

The 29-year-old Smith is 2-10 with a 6.57 ERA in 65 appearances, including 13 starts, in parts of three major league seasons. He made his debut with the San Diego Padres in 2013 and also pitched for Kansas City.

Oakland pitcher Daniel Mengden was put on the 60-day disabled list. He was up and down between the A's and Triple-A Las Vegas last season and had surgery on his right elbow on Feb. 10.

The impact of the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal is reverberating throughout Major League Baseball. There has been immediate impact -- three managers lost their jobs in a week, along with the Astros' general manager. And through all of the revelations, both the Astros themselves and players throughout the game have had something to say about the Astros' conspiracy to steal signs electronically and relay that information in real time to their players at the plate in 2017.

Never forget

"I'm not going to let them forget the fact that they are hypocrites, they are cheaters, they've stolen from a lot of other people and the game itself." -- Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer

"One of the worst things that could happen is that we get through spring and it's just forgotten about, or that you get pegged for the first two games and it's just forgotten about. It needs to be reiterated." -- Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling

"It's just like ripping open a scab. It rehashes some things, and you go back, think what if, what happened. And that's just going to drive us crazy if we continue to do that." -- Justin Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers infielder, on the revelations about the Astros' methods.

"It's a fair question. I think everyone is going to have to draw their own conclusions. I hope over time, and the demonstration of the talent of this team and the players and the careers that are being had -- we have some of the best players in the entire sport all together on the same team -- I hope over time, it's proven that it wasn't." -- Former Astros manager AJ Hinch, on whether the Astros' 2017 title is tainted by initial revelations about their sign stealing.

"When you analyze the games, we won fair and square. We earned that championship." -- Astros shortstop Carlos Correa

Blowing the whistle

"I'm glad we're at this point right now, and obviously Mike [Fiers] had a lot to do with that. ... It's supposed to be an equal playing field, and it wasn't." -- Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin

"I think that leaving Houston and going to a different team, I think you have to at least say, 'Hey, they do some things, you might have to switch your signs up or you might need to do something,' For [Mike] Fiers, it's a tough situation to be in because you have teammates in Houston, but you also have new teammates. It's a sticky situation." -- Tony Kemp, former Astro and new Athletic

The Astros apologize, sort of

"While the evidence consistently showed I didn't endorse or participate in the sign-stealing practices, I failed to stop them and I am deeply sorry." -- Hinch, immediately after his suspension and firing in January.

"No one put a gun to our head. It would be a lie to say that one or two people are responsible. We are all responsible." -- Astros infielder Yuli Gurriel

"We are ALL responsible. Carlos [Beltran] and Alex [Cora] were great to us." -- Astros outfielder George Springer, on stories suggesting the veteran DH and coach were responsible for the sign-stealing initiative.

"No one put us up to this. We did it. All of us, not one person made us do anything." -- Astros infielder Alex Bregman

"He would say, 'I don't want this. I can't hit like this. Don't you do that to me.' [Jose Altuve] played the game clean." -- Correa on his teammate.

"Our opinion is that this didn't impact the game." -- Jim Crane, Astros owner

"It was definitely an advantage." -- Correa

"No, I don't think I should be held accountable." -- Crane

Apology not accepted

"I thought the apologies were whatever. I thought Jim Crane's was weak. I thought Manfred's punishment was weak, giving 'em immunity. I mean, these guys were cheating for three years. I think what people don't realize is Altuve stole an MVP from [Aaron] Judge in '17. Everyone knows they stole the ring from us." -- Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger

"There's no sincerity. There's no genuineness when it comes to it. I know that if I messed up big in that way, I'd be the first one to let you know just how big of a mess-up it was. It's hard to believe. It really is. It's sad." -- Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, on the Astros' belated attempt to apologize.

"They mocked everything about everyone who said they were doing something under the table or illegal or whatever. Cheating is one thing -- it's not OK -- but at least if you cheat and you come out and you get caught and you're like, 'Look, I did this and it wasn't right. This is why I did it. I'm not going to do it again, I learned my lesson.' ... Whatever, you can be contrite about it, speak honestly about it, but even now, we don't even have a freakin' apology that means anything from any of them." -- Bauer

"That's just wild. I don't know if he meant to say that or not, but that's obviously not true." -- Bellinger, in response to Crane saying the Astros' sign stealing "didn't impact the game."

"I'm pretty sure it was going in in 2018 and 2019, too. If they didn't get caught, they'd still be doing it. And they're only doing this apology because they got caught. Everyone around the league is upset and rightfully so, because it's really a disgrace to the game." -- Bryant

Were the Astros also cheating in 2018? 2019?

"I don't know what human hits a walk-off home run against Aroldis Chapman to send your team to the World Series and one, has the the thought to say 'don't rip my jersey off,' but two, go in the tunnel, change your shirt, and then go out and do your interview. Like that -- that makes no sense to me." -- Bellinger, on Altuve's reaction and actions after hitting the game-winning home run in Game 6 of the 2019 American League Championship Series.

"Altuve has played the game clean. Always. Always. He earned that MVP. He hit that home run off Chapman, fair and square." -- Correa

"We got investigated for three months. The commissioner's office did as thorough of an investigation as anyone could imagine was possible." Hinch, on being asked a yes-or-no question about whether the team was using buzzers or other signals in the 2019 postseason.

"When [Bellinger] talks about that we cheated for three years, he either doesn't know how to read, is really bad at reading comprehension or is just not informed at all. The commissioner's report clearly says that all those activities were conducted in 2017. 2018 nothing happened. 2019 nothing happened. It was just talented players, playing the game of baseball with passion and winning ballgames." -- Correa

Retaliation?

"I think players will deal with it the way it should be across the league. I don't think it's going to be a comfortable few ABs for a lot of those boys, and it shouldn't be. They shouldn't be comfortable." -- Pitcher Mike Clevinger, Cleveland Indians

"Somebody will take it into their own hands, and they'll get suspended more games than any of those guys got for the biggest cheating scandal in 100 years. It'll be pretty ironic when that happens, because I'm sure that's how it'll end up playing out." -- Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood -- who started Game 4 of the 2017 World Series against them, on pitchers retaliating against the Astros by throwing at them.

"I'm depending on the league to try to put a stop to this seemingly premeditated retaliation that I'm hearing about. ... I'm just hoping that the league puts a stop to this before somebody gets hurt." -- New Astros manager Dusty Baker

"The game has changed. I think the commissioner has made it very clear in the past few seasons that throwing a baseball at somebody isn't an appropriate form of retaliation in the game anymore. The problem is knowing if it's on purpose or not. But I guess when you come out and say I'm going to do it on purpose, you know." -- Justin Verlander, Astros pitcher

Training partners put on a show for the Scottish crowd at an eventful Müller Indoor Grand Prix

Laura Muir delivered the 1000m victory, but not the world record, she had wanted while training partner Jemma Reekie treated the Emirates Arena crowd to a remarkable finishing kick which landed her first place in the 1500m at the Müller Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow. 

The day’s event schedule had been designed to reach a climax with Muir’s attempt at breaking the 2:30.94 mark set by Maria Mutola in 1999 and the home favourite had been in confident mood ahead of her arduous task. 

READ MORE: Mondo Duplantis raises his own world record in Glasgow

There was no margin for error yet the pace, led by Pole Anna Dobek, slipped behind schedule from a relatively early stage and Muir, whose winter has been badly disrupted by injury, simply had too big a gap to claw back. The clear winner ultimately crossed the line in 2:33.47. 

Despite the air of slight disappointment, the four-time European indoor champion was still able to see her performance very much in a positive light. 

“We set off at a good pace but we lost a wee bit around 600m and that was hard to claw back,” said Muir.

“I gave it a good shot and for where I am in my training, it’s really solid and I can build on that throughout the year.

“It’s that last lap that’s really tough. I gave it the best shot I could – I’d have loved to have run faster and have run a PB and got a new British record but I gave it a good shot. And the crowd were fantastic so I really enjoyed it.”

She added: “It’s a solid run. Considering the amount of training I’ve missed over the winter, it’s a good place to be and I can build on it and get stronger and faster. I’d have loved to have run faster and have got the record but putting it into context, this is a good place to be.

“I was out of spikes all of December, half of November. It was only the start of the year I was back in trainers and even when I got to Potchefstroom (training camp), the second week in January, I was still in trainers. I’ve only been in spikes for five, six weeks so to run that time with the build-up I’ve had is actually really good and I’ll push on from there.”

Behind Muir, there was a PB of 2:37.95 for Adelle Tracey, who finished second ahead of German Katharina Trost (2:37.96).

Reekie rises to the occasion again

It was a case of another race, another record for Reekie in the 1500m. There were no British marks this time for the 21-year-old who has set new standards indoors over 800m, 1500m and the mile in recent days, but she did take another record from Muir – of the Scottish native variety – with her Glasgow victory in a time of 4:04.07.

Reekie left it late but a searing last lap took her past Ethiopia’s Dawit Seyaum, who ran a season’s best 4:04.24, while Moroccan Rababe Arafi was third in 4:05.34.

“I think that just shows the shape I’m in but I’ve got a lot more to give,” said Reekie. “I tried that last year and I panicked so I tried to stay calm and not panic and stay focused all the way. It’s definitely a good confidence boost and it’s exciting for me. I knew this could be a great race and that I could win it. That’s the difference. I’m not just coming to line up on the track now. I’m coming to win.

“I went to the inside and thought I’ll just ride it. I tried not to waste too much energy and hope a gap opened up. It worked out. There were a few points I had to get my elbows out. But that’s middle distance running. I’m still learning but to have the confidence I could do that is good.”

The men’s 1500m went to Kenya’s Bethwell Birgen, who ran 3:36.22 to hold off the attentions of two-time European indoor champion Marcin Lewandowski (3:37.13), while there was a personal best of 3:37.22 for Spaniard Jesus Gomez. Britain’s Piers Copeland also clocked a personal best, 3:38.81, in finishing fourth. 

Both Charlie Da’Vall Grice and Jamie Webb did not finish.

Knight seizes her 400m chance

Another British performance of real note came in the women’s 400m as Jessie Knight defeated a high class field. The primary school teacher who is more accustomed to the 400m hurdles obliterated her personal best of 52.21 by clocking a stadium record 51.57 to beat European champion Justin Swiety-Ersetic and the Netherlands’ Lisanne De Witte. 

Stephenie Ann McPherson suffered a heavy fall and Janieve Russell also took a tumble but got back up to finish the race.

“That was just amazing,” said the Marina Armstrong-coached athlete. “I got a stadium record and, being on that start list, on paper I should have been last. I had to give it everything and when I broke I knew I couldn’t afford to lose it.

“I ran 52.2 last week and won comfortably but I was strong at the end. My coach puts a really strong programme together and it’s paying off because of the amount of over-training I’m doing. It shows hard work pays off.”

The men’s 400m honours went to Jamaican Akeem Bloomfield, who finished first in 46.20 ahead of American Obi Igbokwe’s 46.41 and Kuwaiti Yousef Karam’s 46.49. There was a personal best of 47.26 for Briton James Williams, behind Pavel Maslak’s 46.51.

The reigning world indoor champion Adam Kszczot is no stranger to 800m victory and he came out on top once again in Glasgow, his time of 1:46.34 proving enough to beat Kenya’s Cornelius Tuwei (1:46.52). There was plenty for the Scottish crowd to cheer in that race, too, as Guy Learmonth produced a season’s best of 1:47.16 for third and world 1500m finalist Josh Kerr a personal best of 1:47.40 for fourth, the same time given to the fifth-placed Elliot Giles.  

60m wins for Fraser-Pryce and Baker

There were no surprises in the 60m races, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Ronnie Baker coming out on top. 

Two-time Olympic and current world 100m champion Fraser-Pryce was running in Glasgow for the first time since 2014 and was a convincing winner in 7.16 ahead of world indoor champion Murielle Ahoure. Jamaican Natasha Morrison was third in 7.30 while Amy Hunt, the 17-year-old Briton who broke the world 200m junior record last year, did not look out of place in such esteemed company in coming fourth with 7.36.

Baker is a world indoor bronze medallist and looked in total control as he ran his way to a stadium record of 6.50, defeating his fellow American and world 4x100m relay champion Mike Rodgers (6.67). Slovakia’s Jan Volko was third in 6.68, the same time given to Britain’s CJ Ujah in fourth. 

Pozzi continues his unbeaten run, while Talay wins by the finest of margins

In the 60m hurdles events, world indoor champion Andrew Pozzi continued his unbeaten start to 2020 with victory in a time of 7.57 to beat Kuwait’s Yaqqub Mohamed Al You (7.61) and Milan Trajkovic of Cyprus (7.72). Britain’s David King was fourth, in 7.77, with Cameron Fillery eighth in 8.00.

Two-time world indoor bronze medallist Alina Talay won an incredibly tight women’s race which went to the photo finish in 8.03, the same time given to American 100m hurdles world champion Nia Ali. Her compatriot, Christian Clemons, was third in 8.04.