Olympic champion Centrowitz wins Centro Mile in the Portland while Dever takes George Gandy Mile in Loughborough as we bring you our regular results summary from around the world
While action generally slowed around the world on the eve of the Olympics, there were some notable track meetings in Britain and the USA.
Saucony British Milers’ Club Grand Prix, Loughborough, July 24
British 5000m and NCAA 10,000m champion Pat Dever showed his versatility as he won the George Gandy Memorial Mile in 3:58.62 well clear of recent UK under-23 3000m record-setter Tom Mortimer’s 4:02.24.
In the 800m, European under-23 bronze medallist Thomas Randolph surged clear after reaching the bell in 51.8 behind the pacemaker and kept his form to finish well clear of a fast-finishing Tiarnan Crorken.
Randolph’s winning time of 1:46.90 was just outside his recent PB of 1:46.41 in Estonia but was his fourth sub-1:47 clocking of the season.
Crorken, who represented Britain in the 1500m at the European U23s, ran 1:47.72 for second place.
Katie Kirk won the women’s 800m in 2:03.11.
In the 1500m, Perth Strathay’s Ben Greenwood was rewarded for his decision to follow the pacemaker while the pack played safe as he smashed his three-year-old PBt by seven seconds.
Greenwood had to dig in on the final lap but had built up enough of a gap to win in 3:41.76 from Ireland’s Darren McElhinney (3:42.17).
There was also a PB for European Team Championships 800m winner Ellie Baker who won the women’s 1500m A race in 4:11.33 after a good tussle with Georgie Hartigan (4:12.13) with Sabrina Sinha recording a PB of 4:14.20 in third.
Jenny Nesbitt (15:34.86) and Hugo Miler (a PB of 13:44.46) won their respective 5000m A races while in the 2000m steeplechase there were victories for Chris Perry (5:39.17) and Gemma Kersey (6:46.91).
Portland, USA, July 24
Olympic 1500m champion Matt Centrowitz clocked a fast 3:49.26 in an attempt to break the US mile record of Alan Webb in the Centro Mile which was named in his honour. His early pace was far too fast though and he followed pacemakers through 440 yards in 54.61 and the half-mile in an exciting 1:52.04.
He was beginning to struggle though as he reached the three-quarter mark in 2:51.23 and although he set a PB and went third in the 2021 world rankings it only moved him to fifth American all-time. Sam Prakel was second in 3:57.92.
Sound Running Sunset Tour ATL meeting, Azusa, USA, July 25
Josephus Lyles clocked 20.22/1.7 to win the 200m and he was second in the 100m with 10.12 to Chris Royster 10.11/2.2.
Kenyan Festus Lagat achieved a 1:44.47 PB in the 800m ahead of Brannon Kidder’s 1:44.99.
Nia Akins won the 800m in a 2:00.24 PB.
Kortnei Johnson equalled her PB with a 11.09/2.0 win in the 100m.
A competitive women’s 1500m was won by Taryn Rawlings’ 4:05.02 PB from Karisa Nelson’s 4:05.20 and W35 Sara Vaughn’s 4:05.23.
In the men’s 1500m, Henry Wynne ran 3:34.22 to finish just ahead of Canadian Charles Philibert-Thiboutot’s 3:34.43 with Johnny Gregorek a close third in 3:34.49.
In the steeplechase, Olympic trials fifth-placer Isaac Updike won in 8:20.17 ahead of Trials fourth-placer Daniel Michalski 8:20.96.
There was also a close 100m hurdles with Tonea Marshall’s wind-assisted 12.63/2.2 ahead of Sharika Nelvis’s 12.66.
Madisen Richards won the long jump with a wind-assisted 6.70/2.4.
The women’s 5000m was won with Josette Norris’s 14:51.32 ahead of German Konstanze Klosterhalfen 14:51.97 in first race of the summer season followed by Emily Infeld’s 14:54.09 outdoor PB while Rio Olympian Abbey Cooper ran a PB 14:56.58.
ASICS London 10km, Westminster, July 25
Natasha Cockram who finished second in the Olympic Marathon Trials but missed the qualifying mark, won in 33:37 which is just 10 seconds outside her 2019 best as she headed Lauren Heyes and Verity Ockenden.
She finished 20th overall from nearly 8000 finishers.
Andrew Heyes won the men’s race in 29:25 – half a minute up on Josh Griffiths.
Carlow, Ireland, July 25
Ireland’s European Under-20 Championship winner Cian McPhillips clocked a four-second PB of 3:40.56 in the 1500m.
Fleet Feet Liberty Mile, Pittsburgh, July 23
Sinclaire Johnson won the women’s race in a fast 4:27 course record from Shannon Osika’s 4:30. Vince Ciatti won the men’s race from Colby Alexander with both running 3:59, ahead of Craig Engels and Craig Nowak who were both 4:00.
Quad-City Times Bix 7 miles, Davenport, July 24
Former double world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat, 41, won the women’s race in 37:16. Taylor Werner was second in 37:22. Leonard Korir won the men’s race for the third time with Frank Lara sharing the winning time of 32:48.
Ryan Shay Memorial Road Mile, Charlevoix, July 24
There were wins for Alexina Wilson (4:29.23) and Casey Comber (4:05.90).
Salt Lake City, USA, July 23
On severely downhill courses (around 20 times the allowed limits), Grayson Murphy won the women’s 10km in 31:14 with Rory Linkletter from Canada winning the men’s race in 28:06.
Lee Valley, July 21
Olumide Isaac won the 100m in 10.31/0.1.
Ertvelde, Belgium, July 21
Philip Milanov won the discus with a 62.90m throw ahead of Jamaican Chad Wright’s 61.68m.
Inverness Campus Road Races 5km, Inverness, July 23
Jamie Crowe (14:02) and Morag Miller (15:55) won the event.
Standard Chartered Great City 5km, London, July 20
Ash Harrell won the corporate men’s race organised by London Marathon in 15:10 from Harry Wakefield’s 15:26. The fastest woman’s time was by Ashleigh Fehrenbach’s 18:23.
Sunderland Harriers 5km (Inc NE & NCAA Championships, Sunderland, July 22
Carl Smith won the men’s title in 14:42.
Birkenhead Park 5, Birkenhead, July 21
There were wins for Joe Boden (25:21) and Emily Kearney (27:53).
Veterans AC 5000m Championships, Wimbledon, July 21
M40 Richard McDowell won the fastest men’s 5000m in 15:35.46 from leading M45s Ben Paviour (16:24.97) and Andy Bond (16:25.32). W50 Anna Critchlow ran the fastest women’s time with 19:08.72.