MUIR THE MERRIER

BRITON TAKES DIAMOND RACE DESPITE NARROW DEFEAT AS ELAINE THOMPSON AND CHRISTIAN TAYLOR PROVIDE THE HIGHLIGHTS

PICTURES: JP DURAND

CHRISTIAN TAYLOR and Elaine Thompson were among few Olympic champions to produce some of their best form as the first of two Diamond League finals decided the overall standings.

At the end of their long season and with the major championships behind them, athletes generally were past their peak as series points clearly mattered more than top-draw performances. Fourteen “Diamond Race” winners – those who scored the most points in their events overall in the series – were decided in Zurich, with the remainder of the disciplines being staged at Brussels on September 9. At stake was a top overall series prize of $40,000 for each event.

LEAGUE RECORD

Elaine Thompson set a Diamond League record of 21.85. She was just 0.07 outside her world lead in the 200m, pipping Dafne Schippers into second by one hundredth.

The Jamaican added to her win in Rio with a late charge as, unusually, it was the fast-finishing Dutchwoman who ran the best bend. Behind Schippers, who ran her quickest time of 2016 and took the Diamond Race, Dina Asher-Smith was fourth with 22.38.

In the triple jump, Christian Taylor’s 17.80m was easily enough for the win and the series title. That was 6cm short of the American’s world lead.

Christian Taylor: triple jump in form

MUIR WINS DIAMOND RACE

Despite a narrow loss over 1500m, Laura Muir became only the third British woman to win a Diamond League title.

In echoes of Paris five days earlier, when Muir’s attacking tactics paid off with a UK record and world lead, she followed closely behind pacemaker Jenny Meadows, who led through 400m in 62.59 and 800m in 2:08.10. However, the rest responded better here and did not allow her to get away.