James-King improves, Distin gets her feet wet

COMPETING IN HIS second Diamond League meet of the season, national 400-metre hurdles champion Malik James-King improved to notch a podium finish at yesterday’s Meeting De Paris in Paris, France. James-King was fifth in his first Diamond League meeting of the season.

Drawn in Lane Seven, James-King was cautious, finding himself fifth coming around the final bend. He improved to third over the last 100 metres to stop the clock at 48.37 seconds for third.

Allison Dos Santos of Brazil won the event in 47.78 seconds, with Rasmus Magi of Estonia second in a sea,son’s best 47.95 seconds.

National champion Lamara Distin got her feet wet in the Diamond League, finishing fourth in the high jump, which was won in a world record 2.10 metres. The new highest clearance ever came from Olympic champion, Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh. Distin cleared 1.95 metres, finishing behind second-placed Nicola Olyslagers of Australia (2.01), and Angelina Topić of Serbia, third with 1.98. The Serbian was equalling her country’s national record.

There was also a world record for Faith Kipyegon of Kenya in the women’s 1500 metres. Kipyegon clocked 3:49.04 minutes to win the event ahead of Jessica Hull, who broke Australia’s national record with 3:50.83. There was also a national record for Laura Muir of Great Britain, third in 3:53.79.

World 400-metre champion, Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic stepped up her preparations for the Olympics, winning the event easily in a season’s best 49.20 seconds. It was close for second and third, with Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland edging out Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain for the former. Both athletes were credited with 49.92, a season’s best for Naser.

Yesterday also saw a world-leading time in the men’s 800 metres, with Djamel Sedjati of Algeria, winning in a national record, 1:41.56.

Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya was second in a personal best 1:41.58 while France’s Gabriel Tua was third in a national record, 141.61.