LONDON, United Kingdom, July 20 – Matthew Hudson-Smith smashed his European 400m record and Keely Hodgkinson set a national 800m record as Great Britain’s Olympic gold medal hopes produced statement performances at the London Diamond League.
World silver medallist Hudson-Smith, 29, clocked 43.74 seconds to set the fastest time in the world this year, six days before the Paris 2024 opening ceremony.
Olympic silver medallist Hodgkinson, 22, improved, her world-leading time in 2024 to one minute 54.61 seconds and led British team-mates Jemma Reekie and Georgia Bell – second and third respectively – to personal bests in a stunning performance.
In the final event of the day at a sold-out London Stadium, American world champion Noah Lyles ran a personal best of 9.81 seconds to take victory in the 100m, ahead of South African Akani Simbine and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo.
Britain’s rising sprint star Louie Hinchliffe – soon to make his Olympic debut – was fourth in 9.97, while team-mates Zharnel Hughes and Jeremiah Azu were sixth and seventh respectively in 10.00 and 10.08.
Dina Asher-Smith was third in the 200m in 22.07, with compatriot Daryll Neita fourth in 22.20.
American world silver medallist Gabrielle Thomas finished strongly to edge victory in 21.82 from St Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who ran 21.86.
Britain’s Molly Caudery was third in the women’s pole vault with a clearance of 4.65m, while Katarina Johnson-Thompson produced a long jump best of 6.54m to finish fifth.
