Hunter Bell, Asher-Smith & Burgin impress in Zurich

- BBC News

Hunter Bell, Asher-Smith & Burgin impress in Zurich

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What a race! - Hunter Bell runs PB but denied win in thrilling finish

Great Britains Georgia Hunter Bell, Dina Asher-Smith and Max Burgin produced impressive performances at the Diamond League Final as they finalised their preparations for next months World Championships.

The trio, each named in the British squad for Tokyo earlier this week, achieved second-place finishes in Zurich with just 16 days until the action gets under way in Tokyo on 13 September.

Having last week chosen to target the 800m in pursuit of another global podium, Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Hunter Bell ran a personal best one minute 55.96 seconds in that event as she finished runner-up in a thrilling finish against Switzerlands Audrey Werro (1:55.91).

That time moved Hunter Bell, whose decision to switch to the 800m could see her line up alongside training partner and Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson in the world final, above Dame Kelly Holmes to third on the British all-time list.

"It would be amazing [to make the world podium]," Hunter Bell told BBC World Service Sport.

"I dont think two [British] athletes have been on the podium together since maybe Sebastian Coe, Steve Cram or Steve Ovett, so if me and Keely could do that, it would be pretty special."

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Asher-Smith claims two top three finishes in same night in Zurich

Asher-Smith competed in both sprint finals as she continued to build momentum before Tokyo, following up a third-place finish in the 100m with second in the 200m.

The 29-year-old took the decision to change her training set-up mid-season, returning back home to London following a period in the United States.

It was former training partner Julien Alfred, St Lucias Olympic champion, who took victory in the 100m in 10.76 seconds, with Asher-Smith running 10.94.

The Briton returned less than 90 minutes later for the 200m, in which she clocked 22.18 in finishing runner-up to American Brittany Brown (22.13), while fellow Briton Amy Hunt placed fifth in 22.61.

"Im really happy and so proud of myself to be competitive. With a huge coaching change and changing continents halfway through the season, its testament to the great people Ive got around me and my own resilience," Asher-Smith said.

"I know what Im capable of and Im in great shape and Im not going to let anything stop me."

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Noah Lyles wins 200m

American Noah Lyles starred in the final event of the night, overhauling Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo in an enthralling finish to the mens 200m.

Lyles, the Olympic champion in the 100m, endured an injury-disrupted start to this season but showed he is peaking at the optimal time by winning in 19.74, ahead of Botswanas Tebogo who finished in 19.76.

Britains world indoor 60m champion Jeremiah Azu (10.03) placed fourth in a mens 100m final won by American former world champion Christian Coleman in 9.97.

In the mens 800m final, Burgin demonstrated his readiness to challenge for a global medal by pushing Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi to the line.

Burgin exchanged a smile with the Kenyan after threatening to overhaul him in the final metres, finishing just outside his personal best in 1:42.42 as Wanyonyi won in 1:42.37 and Canadas world champion Marco Arop had to settle for third.

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Wanyonyi hangs on against GBs Burgin in mens 800m

Britains world indoor champion Amber Anning, 24, ran a seasons best 49.75 seconds for fifth in the womens 400m, won by Bahrains Salwa Eid Naser in 48.70.

George Mills, making his return to action after he suffered a fractured wrist in a fall at the London Diamond League in July, took on the pace in the mens 3,000m but faded in the home straight.

Mills, who has chosen to focus on the 5,000m in Tokyo having broken Mo Farahs British record in that event in June, crossed the line seventh.

Hannah Nuttall was eighth in 8:44.74 in the womens final, won by Ethiopias Fantaye Belayneh in 8:40.56.

Reigning world champions Femke Bol and Karsten Warholm both starred in the 400m hurdles finals with meeting records.

Bol clocked 52.18 seconds to win the Diamond League Final for a fifth consecutive year, while Warholm ran 46.70 to win his third title.

Britains Alastair Chalmers was seventh in the mens final in 48.88.

Six field events took place in a temporary arena in the city centre on Wednesday, before the remaining 26 trophies were decided at the Letzigrund Stadium.

The two-day winner-takes all Diamond League Final was contested by the athletes who amassed the most points across this seasons 14 regular series meetings.

The season-ending World Athletics Championships take place from 13-21 September, with live coverage across the BBC.



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