Gallant display in Paris by James-King

NATIONAL champion Malik James-King produced a gallant display at yesterday's Meeting de Paris Wanda Diamond League in Paris to place third in the 400 metres hurdles.

James-King, who has shown tremendous improvement this season was, as usual, very cautious in the early part of his race but ran on strongly in the latter stage clocking 48.37 seconds. Brazilian Alison dos Santos, the hot favourite for the event, won the event in 47.78, just ahead of Estonia'a Rasmus Magi who was second in a season's best 47.95.

National high jump champion Lamar Distin, in her first Diamond League appearance of the season, had a fourth-place finish in the women's high jump after clearing the bar at 1.95 metres.

World champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine soared to a personal best and world record 2.10m for the win. Nicola Olyaslagers of Australia was second with 2.01m while Angeline Topic of Serbia was third with a national record 1.98m.

Kenya's outstanding female distance runner Faith Kipyegon continued her middle distance heroics after closing the meet in fine style with a world record run in capturing the women's 1500m in 3:49.04. Jessica Hull of Australia clocked an area record of 3:50.83 for second while Great Britain's Laura Muir was third in a national record 3:53.79.

World Championships 400m champion Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic showed her readiness for the Olympics after easing to a season's best 49.20 seconds to win the one-lap event. Natalie Kaczmarek of Poland was second in 49.92, the same time awarded to third-place finisher, Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain.

Yesterday also saw a world leading time in the men's 800 metres where the top eight finishers produced personal best times. In a tight finish Djamel Sedjati of Algeria got the win in a national record 1:41.56. Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya was second in 1:41.58 and there was also a national record for third-place finisher Gabriel Tual of France who clocked 1:41.61.

- R.G.