American Jeneba Tarmoh defeated compatriot and Olympic champion Allyson Felix by the narrowest of margins on Sunday after both athletes clocked the same time over 200metres at the Birmingham Diamond League meeting. Tarmoh, a member of the Olympic gold medal winning 4x100 metres relay team at the 2012 London Olympics, was eventually awarded first place ahead of Felix and both given times of 22.29 seconds. British teenager Dina Asher-Smith finished third in a personal best one-hundredth of a second behind.
"I was shocked to beat Allyson," said Tarmoh. "Now I'm definitely confident I'll get a spot on the US team for the world championships, as long as I get on the podium in Beijing that would be a blessing."
Former American footballer American Marvin Bracy won the men's 100 metres in 9.93 seconds followed by Britain's European 200 champion Adam Gemili who broke 10 seconds for the first time when he hurled himself at the line to finish in 9.97. Gemili fell heavily to the track immediately afterwards, clutching his right leg, and was stretchered off the track.
"British sprinting is really stepping up and I'm glad to be a part of it," said Gemili, the sixth Briton to go under 10 seconds but the first to combine it with a sub-20 seconds 200.. "I felt my hamstring go as I dipped but I'm in good spirits."