Reigning Olympic 100m and 200m champion, Elaine Thompson, set a personal best and world-leading 6.98 seconds in the 60 meter sprint at the Birmingham Brand Prix on Saturday.
Thompson’s time was the eighth-fastest time ever. She was followed by compatriots Gayon Evans (7.12 secs) and Christania Williams (7.18).
In the men’s equivalent, the Jamaican duo of Everton Clarke (6.58 secs) and Julian Forte (6.59) could only manage fourth and fifth, respectively. The event was won by the American Robbie Baker (6.55), followed by St Kitts and Nevis’ Kim Collins (6.58) and Great Britain’s Richard Kilty (6.58).
Another Jamaican, Megan Simmons was eighth in the final of the women’s 60m hurdles in 8.24 seconds. The race was won by the USA’s Christina Manning (7.83 secs), with second going to her countrywoman Sharika Nelvis (7.94) and Australia’s Sally Pearson (7.96).
Meanwhile, four-time Olympic champion Britain’s Mo Farh marked his final race indoors by winning the 5,000 metres in a new European record time of 13 minutes 9.16 seconds.
Farah, who won gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games, plans to retire from all track events to concentrate on road-racing after the World Championships in London in August.
