Capital runner Lynsey Sharp crashes out of 800m at Bislett Games

Lynsey Sharp’s hopes of forcing her way back to the head of the pack were floored in Oslo last night as the Scot crashed miserably out of the Bislett Games.
Lynsey Sharp was tripped at the bell in OsloLynsey Sharp was tripped at the bell in Oslo
Lynsey Sharp was tripped at the bell in Oslo

The former European champion, 28, was hunting a speedy time in the 800 metres after a sluggish start to the campaign.

But amid an ultra-slow pace, she was tripped at the bell and left flat on her back as Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi won the charge for victory in 2:01.93 with fellow Briton Shelayna Oskan-Clarke down in seventh.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And Sharp will now head to Sunday’s Diamond League leg in Rabat in urgent need of a rapid change of fortune.

She said: “Last year was just dreadful because it took me so long to even get under two minutes.

“It was only by the Diamond League in London that I got myself together. I really want to get back to that, even if next year is the main goal. It’s all about building towards that.”

Sharp’s other half Andy Butchart kept his feet in the Diamond League 3000m to finish tenth in 7:43.57. But despite the Scottish record holder’s second-fastest run at the distance, he was well off Ethiopia’s teenage tyro Selemon Barega, who set a world lead of 7:32.17 in victory.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I think I can run even faster, hopefully under 7.30,” the 19-year-old said. “I want to try to qualify to Doha in both 500m and 10,000m. Yes, I never ran the longer distance before but I’m preparing for a debut in July. It will be tough, but I want to try.”

Elsewhere, the USA’s Christian Coleman produced the fastest 100m of 2019 so far of 9.85 secs to rout his sprint rivals. British No.1 Reece Prescod pulled up after 60m.