Tarmoh trumps Felix as Farah flies to US

American Jeneba Tarmoh trumped running mate Allyson Felix in the 200m at Sunday's Diamond League meet marred by the late withdrawal of Briton Mo Farah and five other Olympic champions.

A "drained" Farah skipped the meet to jet back to his US training base to confront coach Alberto Salazar over allegations in a BBC documentary that the latter had encouraged athletes including American training partner Galen Rupp to use illegal substances.

The 32-year-old Somalia-born Farah, the double Olympic, world and European champion over the 5,000 and 10,000 metres, was the main draw for the Birmingham meet, where he was due to race the 1500m.

But Farah, who had said at a press conference on Saturday he was "angry" his name had "been dragged through the mud", had no hesitation about withdrawing, saying Sunday: "This week has been very stressful and taken a lot out of me.

"I have not been able to focus properly on today's race and after the events of the last few days I feel emotionally and physically drained.

"I want to run well in the World Championships in Beijing and have decided it is better for me to go back to the US, seek answers to my questions and get back into training," he said, with no suggestion in the BBC documentary that Farah had done anything wrong and Salazar having already strongly denied all claims.

The track and field meet at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium had been billed as a revisit of the London Olympics' "super Saturday" when Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hall and Greg Rutherford all claimed gold for Britain.

Ennis-Hall joined Farah in pulling out, however, leaving Rutherford as the sole representative from that trio. And he did not disappoint, surprising himself to win a scintillating long jump competition with a best of 8.35m.

"When you're only three weeks post-injury, you're never sure where your body is," said Rutherford.

"It's the longest I've ever jumped in Britain and the second longest in my career. I'm so pleased I put on a decent show today."

- Imperious form -

Three-time former world champion Felix was the big favourite for the 200m, but was pipped by Rome winner Tarmoh, both given 22.29sec, with Briton Dina Asher-Smith in third at 22.30.

Olympic champion Christian Taylor was in imperious form in the triple jump, having become only the fifth athlete to go beyond 18 metres when sailed out to 18.04m behind Cuban Pedro Pichardo (18.08) in Doha last month.

The American, aided by a tailwind, went out to 17.40m in Birmingham to finish ahead of Frenchman Benjamin Compaore (17.01).

"I had hoped for a little further," said Taylor. "I am someone who is very competitive. I love the challenge and I love the push.

"The world championships (in Beijing in August) are my main aim, so I will move towards them next, after another important win in the Diamond League."

American Marvin Bracy stormed to victory in the 100m in 9.93sec ahead of Briton Adam Gemili, who fell to the track clutching his hamstring after a vicious dip for the line to beat of Mike Rodgers, both clocked at 9.97sec.

"I went in thinking I could potentially win the race," beamed the 21-year-old Bracy, the current world indoor 60m silver medallist.

Stripped of star attraction Farah, the 1500m was won by Commonwealth champion James Magut, the Kenyan kicking away to clock 3:37.61, 40-year-old Kenyan-born American Bernard Lagat coming in eighth more than 4sec off the pace.

Elsewhere, Czech Vitezslav Vesely won the men's javelin with 88.18m from Kenyan Julius Yego, the Kenyan's final throw measured at more than 91 metres but landing an agonising inch out of the sector.

Croatia's Sandra Perkovic won the women's discus with a best of 69.23m, American Dawn Harper-Nelson claimed the 100m hurdles in 12.58sec and Jamaican Kaliese Spencer beat world champion Zuzana Hejnova of the Czech Republic in the 400m hurdles.

And Botswana's Commonwealth champion Nijel Amos won a tactical 800m missing injured world record holder and Olympic champion David Rudisha in 1:46.77.
Source: AFP