Mo Farah To Headline Birmingham Diamond League

British Olympic and world champions Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford will be among the stars competing in the Birmingham Diamond League meeting on Sunday.

Farah takes part in the 3,000m while Rutherford competes against a high-quality long jump field.

In the women’s 100m, British record-holder Dina Asher-Smith takes on world 200m champion Dafne Schippers.

European 200m champion Adam Gemili returns to the place where he ran his first sub-10 second 100m.

Why does it matter?

The sixth leg of the global Diamond League series, the event at the Alexander Stadium is a key competition in the build-up to the Olympics in August.

Diamond Race points will be up for grabs and athletes will be looking to secure qualifying standards for Rio.

Anyone else I should look out for?

Kenya’s 800m world record-holder David Rudisha will tackle the rarely run 600m.

Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada competes against home favourite Matthew Hudson-Smith in a world-class 400m.

New Zealand’s Valerie Adams will be one of the main attractions in the field events. The two-time Olympic shot put champion holds the stadium record at the Alexander Stadium with 20.52m.

British European champions Tiffany Porter and Lynsey Sharp compete in the 100m hurdles and 800m respectively, while Olympic silver medallist Robbie Grabarz contests the high jump.

BBC

Mo Farah To Headline Birmingham Diamond League

Mo Farah Runs Third Fastest Career 10,000m

British Olympic champion Mo Farah ran the third quickest time of his career to win the 10,000m at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon.

Farah, who will defend his 5,000m and 10,000m titles in Rio, ran 26 minutes 53.71 seconds in his first track race since the 2015 World Championships.

Kenyan William Malel Sitonik came second in 26:54.66 and Ethiopian Tamirat Tola third in 26:57.33.

“I’m kind of disappointed. I was hoping to run a lot faster,” said Farah, 33.

Farah, who trains at the nearby Nike Oregon Project in Beaverton, is undefeated over 10,000m since the 2011 World Championships, having won the 5,000m and 10,000m double at the 2013 and 2015 worlds.

He stayed near the front until slightly past mid-race before dropping a little behind the leaders.

The Briton worked his way back and led at the bell before the 22-year-old Sitonik surged past with 250m remaining.

Sitonik was never able to open up a significant gap and Farah eased past his rival on the home straight.

“I felt good at the beginning. Then about mid-race, I kind of felt like, not sluggish, but didn’t quite get moving,” Farah added. “It was hard to pick it up.”

Farah will continue his preparations for the Olympics with a 3,000m in Birmingham next week as he looks to defend both his 5,000m and 10,000m titles in August.

The Prefontaine Classic in Eugene is the fourth event in this year’s Diamond League, and Saturday’s action will feature the 100m, including former world champions Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin as well as the quickest man this year Femi Ogunode.

BBC

Mo Farah Runs Third Fastest Career 10,000m