Mo Farah Runs World Lead, Usain Bolt Gets Wheels Back at Anniversary Games

Jul 24, 2015 by Taylor Dutch

Hometown favorite and Olympic Champion Mo Farah lit up the crowd Friday on the first day of competition at Sainsbury's Anniversary Games in London with a world leading-mark of 7:34 in the men’s 3,000m race.

The two-time Olympic Champion maintained perfect position from the start, running just behind the leaders until the final 400m when he unleashed a 55-second last lap to take down Othmane El Goumri and Emmanuel Kipsang for the win in front of his hometown crowd.

Great Britain's Mo Farah celebrates after winning the Men's 3000m #DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/nKlXGCMrz8
— Action Images (@ActionImages) July 24, 2015

While finishing, Farah threw up the lightning bolt symbol, paying homage to his friend and fellow Olympic Champion Usain Bolt.

Prior to Farah’s 3000m victory, and despite a bad start, Bolt regained his 100m wheels with a dominant win in a season’s best of 9.87 in the men's 100m final. Earlier in the competition, Bolt ran 9.87 to take the victory in the preliminary round, which stands as a season's best.

9.87 twice in one night and with pretty poor starts, @usainbolt. That's how it's done. #BoltOut pic.twitter.com/vkG48lQew8
— IAAF (@iaaforg) July 24, 2015

The 100m mark is currently the sixth-fastest time run in 2015, behind Jimmy Vicaut (9.86), Keston Bledman (9.86), Asafa Powell (9.81), Trayvon Bromell (9.84), and Justin Gatlin (9.74).

Although Bolt hasn't raced the 100m nearly as frequently as in year's past, with only one 100m performance to his name in 2015 (10.12 in Rio in April), the world record-holder's performance on Friday looked to be a promising performance heading into the World Championships in Beijing.

Olympic silver medalist Jason Richardson was in excellent form after winning the 110m hurdle final over World Indoor silver medalist Pascal Martinot-Lagarde and World leader Omar Ortega. The rain proved to be a non-issue for the 2011 World Champion who cruised past the competition in a winning time of 13.19.

In one of the closest 1500m finishes this year, Laura Weightman, Gabe Grunewald, Katie Mackey, and Rababe Arafi battled for the victory in the 4:06 finishing range. Weightman ultimately crossed the line first in 4:06.09, but Grunewald (4:06.35), Mackey (4:06.54) and Arafi (4:06.66) all finished within 0.57 seconds of each other.

.@LauraWeightman @ggreenwald @KatiefMackey 1-2-3 in the W1500! #LondonDL pic.twitter.com/PkpWN25FP7
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) July 24, 2015

Diamond League leader and hometown favorite Zharnel Hughes ran a personal best of 20.05 to take the win in the men’s 200m final, a full 0.09 seconds ahead of runner-up Dedric Dukes. Hughes’ time currently stands as the 12th-fastest time in 2015.

The United States women’s 100m hurdles rivalry continued with a close finish between newcomer Jasmin Stowers and 2008 Olympic Champion Dawn Harper-Nelson. Stowers clocked a meet record time of 12.47 while Harper-Nelson finished in 12.64. Brianna Rollins closed for third overall in 12.65 and fellow American Lolo Hones was disqualified after a false start.

Natasha Hastings captured the victory in the women’s 400m with a season’s best of 50.24, just ahead of fellow American Francena McCorory who clocked 50.67 for second-place overall.

The United States’ women’s 4x100m squad followed Hastings' performance with a meet record earlier in the competition with a winning time of 42.32.

The Sainsbury's Anniversary Games will continue Saturday beginning with the women's shot put as the first field event and the men's 400m as the first running event.