Middle-distance runners Keely Hodgkinson and Elliot Giles both set personal bests as preparations for Tokyo 2020 continued in the fifth meeting of the Diamond League season in Stockholm.
With just a few weeks to go until the Olympic Games gets underway, the athletes involved were looking build much-needed momentum.
A number of those who are part of Team GB’s 76-strong athletics squad heading to Japan were in action at the star-studded meeting in Sweden.
European indoor champion Hodgkinson was one of those to impress in the 800m, following up her recent win at the British Championships, where she beat Laura Muir.
Here, the 19 year-old produced a gutsy performance to finish fourth in a race run at a blistering pace, her PB time of 1:57.51 seeing her cross the line just behind Kate Grace, Natoya Goule and winner Rose Mary Almanza. It was also the third best 800m time ever run by a female British athlete.
Giles also ran an excellent race, in a quick men’s 800m, setting his own personal best in the process.
The European bronze medallist, came home third behind Ferguson Rotich of Kenya and Canada’s Marco Arop, clocking 1:44.05, and looks to be rounding into form at the perfect time ahead of Tokyo.
CJ Ujah was also in action in a competitive 100m field and clocked 10.10s to finish in a credible third position, with America’s Ronnie Baker taking the win.
In the women’s long jump, Jazmin Sawyers ended after a 6.57m jump and while Dina Asher-Smith wasn’t in action in Stockholm, fellow British sprinter Beth Dobbin was involved in the women’s 200m, finishing fourth in 22.84s.