Goule-Toppin delighted after season’s best in London

Natoya Goule-Toppin has expressed her delight at clocking a season’s best in the women’s 800 metres at yesterday’s London Diamond League meet.

With just over three weeks before the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships, several of the world’s top athletes were in excellent form at yesterday’s meet, with Goule-Toppin and Janieve Russell getting second-place finishes in their events. In the women’s 100 metres, the third clash this season between Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson and American star Sha’Carri Richardson did not take place as the American made a late withdrawal following an injury in the pre-race warmup.

Goule-Toppin maintained her great form this season with another good run in the 800m. After taking the lead with just over 110 metres to go she was caught close home by Great Britain’s Jemma Reekie. Reekie won in a season’s best one minute 57.30 seconds, and Goule-Toppin held on for second in a season’s best 1:57.61.

Goule was very happy after her run.

“It was good, and I am happy to get my season’s best. I wanted to run a bit faster as when I turned the corner, I heard the crowd roar, which was so encouraging,” she said.

Goule’s main objective now is to do well at the World Championships.

“I’ll try to find a 1500m between now and Budapest, but I’ll only be focusing on the 800m at World Championships,” she stated.

Russell continues to show that she can be a medal contender in the 400m hurdles in Budapest after another good run in the event, where she clocked 53.75 seconds for second, edging out one of her main rivals, Shamier Little of the United States. Little was third in 53.76.

Femke Bol of the Netherlands, who is the overwhelming favourite to win the event in Budapest, continued her immaculate form and raced to victory in 51.45, which was a personal best, meet, area and Diamond League record and world-leading time.

Russell stated that she felt good but wanted to run a faster time.“It was a pretty good race. I messed up towards the end as I wanted to run faster, a low 53 seconds or a personal best. However, I have of couple weeks to go before Budapest, and I will work on it as I want to do a personal best and to be on the podium,” she stated.

For the first time this season, Jackson finished out of the top two as she was third in the women’s 100m after clocking 10.94 seconds. Marie Josee Ta Lou of Cote d’Ivoire remained unbeaten this season in the event after clocking a meet record 10.75 to equal her season’s best. Great Britain’s Dina Asher Smith ended third in a season’s best 10.85.

The other Jamaican at the meet, Tokyo Olympics 100m hurdles champion Hansle Parchment, finished fourth in 13.25 seconds as American Grant Holloway, the defending world champion, won in 13.01.

Another American, Noah Lyles, produced a fine performance to win the men’s 200m in a season’s best and world-leading 19.47 seconds. Letsile Teboga of Botswana was second in a personal best 19.50 and Zharnel Hughes of Great Britain third in a national record 19.73.