Lagat takes eighth in Birmingham as Kenya's Julius Yego shocks world with a near 300-footer...

BIRMINGHAM, England—The air may have been let out of the balloon when reigning world and Olympic champion Mo Farah withdrew from the 1500 meters at the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix Sunday, a few days after the explosive BBC report accusing his Nike Oregon Project coach Alberto Salazar of using pharmaceuticals and obtaining therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) to help his athletes enhance their performance.

With Farah out of the race, neither Washington State alum Bernard Lagat (left/photo by Paul Merca) nor Dorian Ulrey of the Seattle based Brooks Beasts could take advantage of Farah’s absence.

Lagat finished eighth in the 1500, while Ulrey finished tenth, as they ran 3:41.87 and 3:43.86, respectively.

James Magut of Kenya took the win in 3:37.61.

The highlight of the fifth stop of the IAAF’s Diamond League tour was Julius Yego of Kenya throwing a world leading 299-10 (91.39m, national record) in the sixth and final round to win the javelin over Vitezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic, despite the fact that it was ruled a foul initially.

Here is Yego’s winning throw:



The IAAF Diamond League tour continues Thursday with the Exxon/Mobil Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway, and the adidas Grand Prix meet Saturday in New York.

NOTE:  The IAAF contributed to this report.

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