Diamond League Prefontaine Classic 2024: Keely Hodgkinson stuns Mary Moraa in 800m as Grant Holloway sets 110m hurdles world lead

Keely Hodgkinson gave a real signal of intent in the women’s 800m at the Diamond League Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday (25 May).

In her first 800m of the year, the Briton surged past world champion Mary Moraa with 150 metres to go and stretched clear to win in a world lead time of 1:55.78.

Jemma Reekie took third in a race missing Olympic champion Athing Mu who pulled out in midweek citing a sore hamstring.

Hodgkinson said afterwards, “I knew I was in this kind of shape coming into it, but it doesn’t really matter when you’re racing these girls – it’s all about what they’re going to do, what are you going to do… all that tactics and stuff.

“I just learned to enjoy it. I think that’s a bit part of it and I just can’t wait to keep coming out here, producing good times, producing good races and just being consistent. And I think that final in Paris is going to be insane. But I just hope to be a part of it and really challenge for the top place.”

Grant Holloway was a comfortable winner of the 110m hurdles, winning in a world lead time of 13.03 from Daniel Roberts. Freddie Crittenden made it an all-American top three with Jamaica’s Olympic champion Hansle Parchment fourth having crawled out of the blocks.

Joe Kovacs rolled back the years in the shot put. The two-time world champion and two-time Olympic silver medallist threw a world lead 23.03m in round three before saving the best for last – 23.13m in the final round – to underline his win.

Payton Otterdahl was second with 22.16m ahead of Chukwuebuka Enekwechi’s new Nigerian record of 21.91m.

Valarie Allman secured a home win in the women’s discus. Taking the lead into the final round, the American produced a throw of 67.36m to increase her advantage. Yaime Perez then came close, but her effort of 67.25m was not quite enough to topple the Olympic champion.

Diribe Welteji won the women’s 1500m in impressive style. The 22-year-old Ethiopian was the only one to go with the pacemaker before increasing her advantage with two laps to go. And she kicked clear 300m from home in setting a personal best of 3:53.75.

Australia’s Jessica Hull ran an Oceania record of 3:55.97 in second with home favourite Elle St. Pierre third in a personal best 3:56.00. Britain’s Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir was fourth.