Double Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah dominated the men’s 5,000 metres at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Birmingham, England on Sunday, but it was a day of mixed fortunes for other reigning Olympic champions.
Eleven current Olympic champions and 30 London 2012 medallists competed at the prestigious IAAF Diamond League meeting in Birmingham on Sunday.
Double Olympic long-distance champion Mo Farah thrilled the home fans by pulling clear to win the 5,000 metres in a time of 13 minutes, 14.24 seconds, ahead of the world’s two fastest men over the distance this year – Ethiopian pair Yenew Alamirew and Hagos Gebrhiwet, who crossed the line in second and third place respectively.
It wasn’t such a good day for 110 metres hurdles Olympic gold medallist Aries Merritt.
The American world-record holder was beaten into second place by 2009 world champion Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados, who clocked 13.13 seconds into a headwind.
Poland’s Artur Noga was third.
Britain’s Greg Rutherford also failed to replicate his Olympic best in the long jump as he was beaten by Russia’s Aleksandr Menkov, who jumped 8.27 metres to win the event.
The women’s 200 metres race was billed as a head-to-head between sprint rivals Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Carmelita Jeter.
But the triple African champion – Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria – upstaged both women to win in 22.55 seconds.
Twice Olympic champion Fraser-Pryce was well beaten into second place, while Jeter, the world 200 metres champion, trailed in a disappointing seventh.
