Teen sensation Phanuel Koech wins men's 1500m at London Diamond League over Josh Kerr of Brooks Beasts...

LONDON--Josh Kerr (photo courtesy Wanda Diamond League) of the Brooks Beasts finished second in the featured men's 1500 meters at the Novuna London Athletics Meet, stop number eleven of the Wanda Diamond League series at London Stadium Saturday.

After the pacemakers took the field through 800 meters at just a tad bit over 1:51, as Kerr alluded to in Friday's pre-meet press conference, fellow Brit George Mills went to the front and held the lead through the bell.

With 250 to go, Mills inexplicably allowed Kenyan teen sensation Phanuel Koech to pass on the inside, as it became a two man race between Koech and Kerr. Meanwhile, Mills tripped entering the final curve, and never recovered.

Koech took the win in a new meet record of 3:28.82, with Kerr second in a season best 3:29.37.

Courtesy of the Wanda Diamond League and US rights holder Flotrack, here's the race in full:

Afterwards, Kerr told reporters in the mixed zone, "In general I really liked how I felt in the whole race. I felt like I made a solid move at 250, I just did not have my head on straight with 200m to go, and I let them go a little bit. The power was not quite there but it is not far away. But we have not ran a race like that for a while. To be running 3:29 at this point of the season is encouraging and I know I can make some jumps over the next couple of months."

Former Pullman resident Katie Moon finished second on a count back to New Zealand's Olivia McTaggart, with both clearing 15-6.25 (4.73m).

After starting strongly with two first-attempt makes at 14-7.25 (4.45m) and 15-1 (4.60m), Moon needed a third attempt to get over the bar at 15-6.25 (4.73m), while McTaggart was the only one to make on her second attempt.

Neither of the four remaining--McTaggart, Moon, Angelica Moser of Switzerland, and American Emily Grove, cleared the next height of 15-10.5 (4.84m).

The reigning world champion and Olympic silver medalist said afterwards, "I felt like I vaulted better than the results show for it. I was having a bit of an issue with the pole but I got it sorted by moving to a bigger pole. It wasn't very clean but it is all good feedback and that is why we do these comps."

Washington alum Gianna Woodruff finished fourth in the women's 400 hurdles in 54.00, just off of her season best of 53.99, as Femke Bol of the Netherlands won in 52.10.

Former Washington State standout Louie Hinchliffe of Great Britain was eighth in the men's 100, running 10.21, in a race won by Jamaica's Oblique Seville in 9.86, beating Olympic champion Noah Lyles of the USA, who ran 10.00.

Earlier in the meet, Hinchliffe, who qualified for the NCAA championships two years ago for WSU before transferring to Houston where he won the NCAA title last year, ran the second leg on Great Britain's 4 x 100 relay team.

The Brits finished second to Jamaica by a 37.80 to 38.08 margin.

The Wanda Diamond League series pauses until August 16th for the national and regional championships window. The next meet in the series happens in Silesia, Poland.

Complete results of the Novuna London Athletics Meet are available here.

COSCULLUELA STANDS ELEVENTH AFTER DAY 1 OF EUROPEAN U23 CHAMPIONSHIPS...

In Bergen, Norway, Washington rising sophomore Sofia Cosculluela stands eleventh after day one of the heptathlon at the European Athletics Under 23 Championships.

After a strong start in the 100 hurdles, where she ran 13.56, the Spanish national champion in the heptathlon high jumped 5-3.75 (1.62m) then threw the shot a season best 42-11 (13.08m).

Cosculluela finished the day with a 24.53 clocking in the 200 meters to score 3463 points.

Saga Vanninen of Finland leads the competition with 3870 points.

Cosculluela resumes competition Sunday starting at 1 am Pacific (10 am local time) with the long jump, followed by the javelin and the 800 meters.

Sunday, Washington rising senior Julia David-Smith of France races in the finals of the women's 5000 at 7:35 am Pacific (4:35 pm local time).

European Athletics is streaming the meet on its website.

Results from the European Athletics Under-23 Championships is available here.

NOTE: The Wanda Diamond League, and European Athletics contributed to this report.

paulmerca.blogspot.com may receive a commission for any purchases made from links clicked. Please support this site and our sponsors by clicking on the links. You can also support the site by clicking the yellow "Buy Me A Coffee" link below.