By Alp Ulagay from Birmingham


In the second stop of Diamond League in Birmingham, there were six world leads set at an impressively renovated Alexander Stadium. German Olympic and World champion Malaiko Mihambo jumped 7.09m in the women’s long jump as Ethiopian Dawit Seyaum surged clear to clock 14:47.55 in the women’s 5000m.
Slovenia's rising star Kristjan Ceh threw 71.27m in the men’s discus while last year’s Olympic champion Hansle Parchment of Jamaica was supremely impressive in the 110m hurdles with victory in 13.09 

Meanwhile, British athletes shone at their home in Birmingham Diamond League as Laura Muir, Dina Asher-Smith, Matt Hudson-Smith, Keely Hodgkinson and the women’s 4x100m relay team took victory. European double sprint champion Asher-Smith (GBR) held strong in the women’s 100m – and was impressive as the British women set a world lead in the 4x100m relay end of the programme. 

Canada had a quartet of winners thanks to Marco Arop in the men’s 800m, Aaron Brown in the men’s 100m, Django Lovett in the men’s high jump and the men’s 4x100m relay while United States had a hat-trick thanks to Dalilah Muhammad in the women’s 400m hurdles, Valarie Allman in the women’s discus and Sandy Morris’ 4.73m world lead in the women’s pole vault.

After the competition, we catched up some of the star names to ask about their seasonal perspectives.


GIANMARCO TAMBERI (ITA)
2nd place in HJ - 2.25


We're still early in the season, but how do you assess your performance so far? 

- So, we are trying to build the jump. Let's say that we are working on technical aspects. Physically I'm in good shape but technically I still have to wotk a lot. That was just my second competition so far. I improved my season best today but I can't say I'm ready yet. I need to work, I have to accelerate more in the final step. It's the process. So everything in Eugene will be better.

It's still two months to go for the World Champs. You never won a medal in world champs, didn't you?

- Outdoor, never.

What will be the goal in Eugene?

- Of course, it is the only gold medal that I missed. This is my biggest dream of the year so I'm working for it. Now is the beginning of the season and I still have to work a lot, but I'm doing it.

You were in Doha your last week. Did you review what happened in Tokyo with the official (who guided to shared gold to him & Barshim) Can Korkmazoğlu? Did you remember what happened in Tokyo? 

- It was different. I mean, one year after we see each other a lot. But the competition now is the beginning of the season.


DALILAH MUHAMMAD (USA)
Winner of the women's 400H in 54.54


Still early in the season, but how do you assess your preparations so far? 

- Really good. I do a really good times in the practice. Faster than I had last year.  And It's just a good atmosphere in training every day.

The last year top three athletes were around and performed under 52 seconds. What will be the level of competition this year?

- I'm looking for it to be exactly the same. I think we'll even see some new athletes approaching that particular barrier. That's going to be fast championships for sure.

This year's world champs will be in the United States. Is this a sort of extra motivation for you?

- You know, it it's just a little extra excitement. Whole entire field of athletes will come to our backyard. I think I will my family over there. We will have some familiar faces to me in the crowd and this will be really nice.


ADEL MECHAAL (ESP)
6th in the men’s 1500 metres in 3.35.93


Adel, first of all, how was the race? It was a very hard last stretch...

- The wind made it a slow race. Nobody wanted to make the pace. But it was my race in that distance this year. It was pretty fine. The most important is I being I managed to compete in the last 100 metres right. And I'm happy for that because right now. It's a good start and I'm happy.

What would be your main aim in Eugene? 

- In Eugene the idea is to the making double: 1500 and 5000 meters. But now seeing the races, it tell us it is possible or not. Right now, this is the main goal. But when we see the races we will decide on it.

Do you think that you achieved something different this year with the European 3000m indoor record?

- We changed the way with my coach and we're still adapting to the new system. And right now I feel like I can be able to do lot more maybe, but I don't have the speed to go faster. It is still early in the season and hopefully in one month things will be better.

How will be the rest of your calendar? 

- I will run Diamond League Oslo 5000 metres, then Stockholm (3000m). After that I will go to Spanish Championships to take my tickets for Eugene. After that, we will see.

Are you mostly based in Istanbul at the moment? 

- I live in Istanbul for most part of the year with my wife (Emine Hatun Tuna, Turkish distance runner). But right now we are in (a altitude) camp in Erzurum. It's a good place and we like it. Right now, this is our temporary base.


MALAIKA MIHAMBO (GER)
Winner in the women’s long jump with 7.09m


You must be happy with your season opener?

- Yeah. I'm very happy. It was my season opener. It's a really great resuly for that. I wasn't expecting to much. But I knew I was feeling good. I think I feel at least as good as I did. I'm really looking to having next race.

You got a busy summer with the Worlds and the Europeans at home. Are you looking forward to both double golds?

- Well, we'll see. I just try to give my best and have a really good competition. It's true, it's nice to hold the title. But for me, that's not the first thing. That's more important have a good competition. I'd give my best and if I do that I'm really satisfied with what I do. But for me, I'm  looking really to compete in both competition. And for sure, it's really amazing to jump in front of your home crowd.

It's a very good start to the season. But do you think that beyond 7.30 is achievable this season?

- I think, yeah. I mean in the Doha season, I achieved that so I'm really looking forward to have more time to train and focus on the essential things. And like I said, I really feel good with my body. And I think that the work that we did on the sprinting technique is now paying off. So yeah.

Yeah, you hold three titles in the same time, Europe, Worlds and Olympics, which is very rare in athletics. How do you keep your focus on your training and your performance? 

- Well, to me, I mean titles are nice. I'm really happy that I keep them. But for me the sport is something where I can train to be the best version of myself. I can try to overcome my limits and not only as a an athlete, but also as a person. So that's how I keep focussed and motivated. I'm always looking getting better but not just for the titles. I try to improve myself and be happy.