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The 2025 London Diamond League meet produced some interesting results on Saturday, July 19, from London Stadium in front of a sold out crowd of at least 60,000.

Georgia Hunter-Bell

Great Britain’s Georgia Hunter-Bell clocked a very fast 800 metre performance, finishing first in 1:56.74, half a second off of her personal best of 1:56.28. It was a season-best performance and a strong harbinger for her 2025 World Athletics Championships medal bid.

Finishing in second and third place were American Addison Wiley and Ugandan Halimah Nakaayi, who finished the race in 1:57.43 and 1:57.62, respectively. They also had season-best performances. Eight of 10 athletes finished sub-2:00. Surprisingly, Scottish great Laura Muir finished last in 2:00.95.

The pacer Lisanne de Witte from the Netherlands ran the first 400m split in 56.49. She retired at 1:00.25.

Paris Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson holds the meet record from last year at 1:54.61. She was not in the race, as she is coming back from injury.

Women’s mile

In the women’s mile race (1609 metres), Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay ran an interesting race, bolting for the first lap at world record pace, around 60 seconds, then hanging on for the win. She clocked in a meet record, 2025 world-lead and national record time of 4:11.88.

She appeared to go to the well and was not composed at times in the race. She went deep, possibly to take the kick from Autralian Jessica Hull. It worked; however, Hull did set an Oceania and national record time of 4:13.68. Taking third was Ireland’s Sarah Healy in a new personal best time of 4:16.32. Eleven of 16 athletes ran under 4:20.

American Sinclair Johnson set a North American record at 4:16.32, while national records were collected for Italy, France, Portugal and Spain.

Results

1 | ETH | TSEGAY Gudaf | 4:11.88 MR WL NR
2 | AUS | HULL Jessica | 4:13.68 AR
3 | IRL | HEALY Sarah | 4:16.26 PB
4 | USA | JOHNSON Sinclaire | 4:16.32 AR
5 | ITA | ZENONI Marta | 4:17.16 NR
6 | FRA | GUILLEMOT Agathe | 4:19.08 NR
7 | GBR | WALCOTT-NOLAN Revee | 4:19.16 PB
8 | POR | AFONSO Salomé | 4:19.51 NR
9 | AUS | HALL Linden | 4:19.58 PB
10 | ETH | HAYLOM Birke | 4:19.74 SB
11 | ITA | SABBATINI Gaia | 4:19.83 PB
12 | ESP | GUERRERO Esther | 4:20.12 NR
13 | POL | LIZAKOWSKA Weronika | 4:20.19 PB
14 | GBR | WALLACE Erin | 4:20.44 PB
15 | AUS | CALDWELL Abbey | 4:20.74 SB
16 | GBR | SNOWDEN Katie | 4:24.71 SB

Men’s 800m, Wanyonyi continues to win

Four athletes clocked in a “1:42,” led by Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya. He won in a time of 1:42.00, which is a new London meet record. Marco Arop from Canada seems to be rounding into form with his 1:42.22 season best performance. Taking third was British runner Max Burgin in a new personal best time of 1:42.36. The fourth under 1:43 was American Bryce Hoppel finishing in a season best 1:42.71.

Some fans may have been surprised to see the strong performance by American Donovan Brazier who has been away for some time dealing with injury. He finished in sixth position in a time of 1:43.08. Brazier won the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships gold medal in a new personal best of 1:42.34. It has been five years and Saturday’s performance is an sign of a potential strong final performance at the 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Championships.

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