Home favourite Eilidh Child (coach: Malcolm Arnold) made the most of the Scottish sunshine on the opening night of competition at the Sainsbury’s Glasgow Grand Prix as she stormed home to win the 400m hurdles, much to the delight of the Scottish crowds.
The Pitreavie athlete has already managed three third place finishes in the IAAF Diamond League this year, and she quickly made her intentions clear on the Hampden Park track, powering to the line to clock a season’s best 54.39 ahead of American Cassandra Tate.
The 27-year-old was quick to acknowledge the roars from the crowd as she looks forward to returning to the track in less than three weeks’ time for the Commonwealth Games.
“I really wanted to execute a good performance today, and to nail my stride. I managed to do that and I think that’s why it looked such a dominant performance,” Child said.
“It was an amazing ovation from the crowd here, so I can only imagine what it will be like at the Commonwealth Games. I’m ranked number four in the Games, so I will have to fight for a medal, but with a crowd like that behind me I’m sure I will succeed.”
Multi-eventer Katrina Johnson-Thompson (Mike Holmes) showed she’s in great form ahead of the Commonwealth Games, improving on the long jump personal best she set on her way to gold at the Sainsbury’s British Championships two weeks ago.
The 21-year-old finished in second place with 6.92m, whilst there was a season’s best for Shara Proctor (Rana Reider) who leapt to 6.82m to finish third. American Tianna Bartoletta took the top spot with 6.98m.
“I will be coming back here in a couple of weeks and doing a full heptathlon, so I wanted to check out the place beforehand and I’m very pleased that I did,” said Johnson-Thompson.
Laura Weightman (Steve Cram) followed up her impressive run in Paris last week as she finished a highly credible fourth in the women’s 1,500m, clocking 4:03.98 in a race won by the Netherland’s Sifan Hassan – who was also first in the French capital.
“I was really pleased with my performance tonight,” said Weightman. “It’s good to run fourth in a race of that high quality, and great preparation for the Commonwealth Games.”
The evening got off to a flying start as Paralympic silver medallist Stef Reid (Reider) bettered her own world record in the long jump F44, leaping to 5.47m in her first attempt, and beating France’s World silver medallist Marie-Amelie Le Fur in the process.
The pair will meet again at the IPC European Championships next month, and Reid is determined to maintain her winning ways.
“I am going to enjoy this for now but get straight back to work because [Le Fur] jumped well today, and I know she’ll be ready to challenge me in Swansea,” said Reid.
Her performance on the night secured her a $15,000 world record bonus, as well as the Sainsbury’s Performance of the Day award.
The GB & NI 4x100m women’s ‘A’ team – Asha Philip (Christine Bowmaker), Ashleigh Nelson (Michael Afilaka), Jodie Williams (Bowmaker) and Desiree Henry (Reider) - stormed home to clinch an impressive victory in 42.74, with the GB & NI ‘B’ team - Sophie Papps (Cossins), Anyika Onuora (Reider), Hayley Jones (Donald Moss) and Louise Bloor (Tony Minichiello) - second in 43.36.
Women' results
400 Metres - Women Pts 1 McCorory , Francena USA 49.93 4 2 Richards-Ross , Sanya USA 50.39 2 3 Williams-Mills , Novlene JAM 50.60 1 4 McPherson , Stephenie Ann JAM 50.98 5 Montsho , Amantle BOT 51.35 6 George , Regina NGR 51.82 7 Hastings , Natasha USA 52.38 8 Massey , Kelly GBR 52.67
1500 Metres - Women Pts 1 Hassan , Sifan NED 4:00.67 4 2 Aregawi , Abeba SWE 4:00.94 2 3 Embaye , Axumawit ETH 4:02.78 1 4 Weightman , Laura GBR 4:03.98 5 Moser , Treniere USA 4:04.18 6 Bahta , Meraf SWE 4:04.23 7 Måkestad Bovim , Ingvill NOR 4:04.33 8 Obiri , Hellen Onsando KEN 4:05.26 9 Plis , Renata POL 4:05.40 10 Uceny , Morgan USA 4:05.40 11 Sifuentes , Nicole CAN 4:05.47 12 Buckman , Zoe AUS 4:06.30 13 Hasay , Jordan USA 4:07.70 Beckwith-Ludlow , Molly USA DNF Wafula , Lydia Nasimiyu KEN DNF
400 Metres Hurdles - Women
1 Child , Eilidh GBR 54.39 2 Tate , Cassandra USA 55.43 3 Wells , Lauren AUS 55.78 4 Williams , Tiffany USA 55.81 5 Barbosa , Vera POR 56.26 6 Stoddart , Shevon JAM 56.43 7 Spence , Christine USA 57.16 8 Wilson , Nickiesha JAM 57.61
Long Jump - Women Pts Wind 1 Bartoletta , Tianna USA 6.98 4 +1.2 2 Johnson-Thompson , Katarina GBR 6.92 2 +0.6 3 Proctor , Shara GBR 6.82 1 +1.2 4 Nettey , Christabel CAN 6.73 +1.1 5 Jimoh , Funmi USA 6.70 +1.6 6 Moguenara-Taroum , Sostene GER 6.69 +1.8 7 Jarder , Erica SWE 6.57 +1.1 8 Stuart , Bianca BAH 6.52 +0.9 Discus Throw - Women Pts 1 Lewis-Smallwood , Gia USA 67.59 4 2 Perkovic , Sandra CRO 66.30 2 3 Samuels , Dani AUS 65.21 1 4 Sendriuté , Zinaida LTU 61.87 5 Pérez , Yaime CUB 61.41 6 Craft , Shanice GER 59.90 7 Rodrigues , Irina POR 58.81 8 Glanc , Zaneta POL 57.68
4x100 Metres Relay - Women
1 Great Britain & N.I. GBR 42.74 2 Great Britain & N.I. "B" GBR 43.36 3 All Stars UND 43.40 4 Stars and Stripes USA 44.11 5 Poland POL 44.59 6 Wales GBR 45.10 7 Scotland GBR 46.55 Ireland IRL DNF