One week after the IAAF World Championships London 2017 drew to a close, the IAAF Diamond League picks up just a couple of hours away from the British capital with the Muller Grand Prix Birmingham today.
As is often the case with post-championships meetings, recent medallists will look to prove that their podium finishes in London weren’t by fluke while athletes who missed out will be seeking redemption. And as the final points-scoring opportunity before the IAAF Diamond League finals, athletes will be looking to claim one of the limited spots in their discipline ahead of Zurich and Brussels.
Six of the Diamond disciplines in Birmingham boast a full set of World Championships medallists. But perhaps the most intriguing events are the ones featuring numerous world medallists from a combination of disciplines.
One contesting worth watching would be the high jump where newly-minted world champion Mutaz Essa Barshim is expected to dominate again.
Barshim was head and shoulders – quite literally – above his opposition in the high jump in London. The Qatari high jumper had three solid attempts at 2.40m and would no doubt like to nail that height before the season ends. He’ll face, among others, world bronze medallist Majd Eddin Ghazal of Syria.
The Qatari, who is a two-time Olympic medallist,  has also won all his Diamond League events so far beginning with Doha in May and is in line to win the IAAF bonus for finishing the season as the best high jumper in the world
The women’s 100m, for example, includes all three 200m medallists from London, plus the 100m silver and bronze medallists as well as the 100m hurdles champion.
Meanwhile, British athletics great Mo Farah will hope his final track race on home turf today will have a happier ending than last Saturday’s world 5,000 metres final.
The 34-year-old, who will compete in the 3,000 metres at the Diamond League meeting in Birmingham, produced a courageous performance just falling short of overhauling Ethiopian Muktar Edris.
That defeat, his first since the 10,000m in the 2011 world championships, ended a remarkable run of global titles in which he upset the Kenyan/Ethiopian hegemony in distance races and included achieving the 5,000/10,000 double in successive Olympics.
Farah, who came to England aged eight with his mother and two of his brothers after a long trek from war-torn Somalia, is assured of a warm reception from the spectators if not from the press at whom he fired a blast after his 5,000m defeat.
His relations with large parts of the British media have deteriorated over the years because of his association with controversial coach Alberto Salazar. The spectators, though, have largely given him the benefit of the doubt and Farah admits Sunday’s race will have his emotions in turmoil.
“It’s definitely going to be emotional,” said Farah, who will make his final track appearance in the Zurich Diamond League meet next week.
“I’ve had a long career and to come here year after year, it’s been something special.
“But, at some point, anything we do in life must come to an end and this is it. I just have to take care of the race and respect my opposition. I have a job to do Sunday and to do well.”
Farah is intent on not letting the occasion get to him and believes he is still in fine fettle despite his exertions in London at the world championships.
“It’s important for me to go out with a win,” he said.
“I think people realise that it’s not as easy as me just turning up, you’ve got to be in the best shape. I’m in great shape and if I could come away with a win that would be great.”

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