by Stuart WeirBrits in Monaco, oh my!
Stuart Weir notes which Britons appeared in Stade Louis II in Monaco on Friday night. We thank him for finishing this column before his ship set sail back to the British Isles.
Quick quiz, Which boat is Stuarts’? photo by Stuart Weir
The stadium in question, Stade Louis II, photo by Stuart Weir
Brits in Monaco
It was a good evening for GB athletes. Laura Weightman ran a second PR in two weeks – see separate post about her supporting role in Sifan Hassan’s World record run..
Lynsey Sharp, Pre in Exile, 2019, photo by PhotoRun.net
Laura Muir ran a PR but was not satisfied. I love the mentality of the elite athlete who is always looking for more! Ajee Wilson won the 800m in 1:57.73, just holding off Jamaica’s Natoya Goule (1:57.90). Laura Muir was third in 1:58.42. She told me afterwards: “It was OK”. I teased her about a PR just being OK. She explained that she was frustrated that “I couldn’t get out fast over the first 200. I tried but I know I have to go harder. I got in a bit of trouble with people at that point. I just think I’m capable of 1:57 and I feel I could have been close to a win tonight had I run a better race. It was just in the first 200 I didn’t position myself right. I got there in the end and made my way through but I had to run wide, which cost me a bit of time”.
She did grudgingly admit: “to come here and run 1:58 and a PR, yes I’m happy with that”. With the World Championship 1500m her main target this year, she had that very much in mind in Monaco, seeing it as an opportunity to work on her speed. “A lot of championships [1500s] end up being an 800 meter race”, she explained, “so you’ve got to have the 800 meter speed”.
Lynsey Sharp, a few years ago (2014), photo by PhotoRun.net
Lynsey Sharp was fourth in 1:58.76, a good early season time. I was delighted for Lynsey as she was tripped in the Oslo 800m the last time I saw her run.
Charlie Grice takes Adro Mile, 2019 Martinez, photo by Kevin Morris
Charlie Da’Vall Grice ran a big PR in the 1500m which Timothy Cheruiyot won in 3:29.97 from Jakob Ingebrigsten. Grice, who was fourth in 3:30.62, was pretty animated afterwards. “I can’t quite believe it. 3.30 and a three second PB”, he told me. “I did not expect to go that quick today. I wanted to run a big PB but I was really thinking 3:31, 3:32 but the same time I wanted to race because the last three races I haven’t really looked at the clock and I was winning them and feeling quite comfortable too. I’m just glad I had the opportunity to run here tonight on the fastest track in the world and in the fastest race of the year and I just got after it and went for it. I wanted to leave it all on the track and I’m happy to have run 3:30”.
Charlie, who runs for the Brighton Phoenix club was particularly excited that he had broken his club 1500m record. He has just finished fourth in a world class Diamond League field and he is excited about his club record? He explained that the previous record holder was a certain Steve Ovett who had always been a hero of his.
Laura Muir and Melissa Courtney, photo by Getty Images/European Athletics
Melissa Courtney was 12th in the mile and Jake Wightman 8th in the 800m. Nothing spectacular but both were season’s bests and as we noted last week, it is long season that no medals are given out in July. Let’s judge them in October.
Jake Wightman, photo by PhotoRun.net
