Athletice: Farah breaks record in Birmingham

Page last updated at 20:03 GMT, Saturday, 21 February 2009

Farah breaks record in Birmingham

Highlights - Farah smashes UK record By Mark Ashenden National Indoor Arena, Birmingham Mo Farah knocked more than six seconds off his own British record in winning the 3,000m at the UK Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham on Saturday. Farah produced a run of seven minutes 34.47 seconds to beat Kenya's Shedrack Korir by more than four seconds. Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu won the 200m after missing out in the 60m. Britain's Simeon Williamson won the 60m in a new personal best of 6.53, but there was bad news for Tyrone Edgar, who suffered a torn hamstring. Great Britain name their squad for the European Indoor Championships on Tuesday, but Edgar will now not travel with the team for Turin because of the injury. "I had an ultrasound on it and they found a hamstring tear on my right leg," he said. "I will be out for two or three weeks and that's the Europeans out for me. That's life I suppose." Dwain Chambers, who was unable to compete in Birmingham as a hangover from his drug ban for a failed test in 2003, is already assured of qualification. Williamson is likely to get the second place, having led the field home in front of new UK Athletics boss Charles van Commenee, who will select the team on Tuesday. Craig Pickering also looks like he has done enough to book a place after his 6.57s in Glasgow. Cannot play media. Sorry, this media is not available in your territory. Highlights - Williamson wins thrilling 60m After his disqualification at the trials last week and a fifth place in Birmingham, Pickering told BBC Sport: "My heat was promising and then the final was pretty terrible. "The false start was playing on my mind and I was apprehensive. "This is just one race but it never helps when people you're running against like Simeon gets a great time. Fair play to him but he's a rival. When he runs well and I run badly it multiplies the anger and disappointment." Speaking about the 6-8 March event in Turin, he added: "I'm more motivated this season because of what happened in Beijing [he dropped the baton in 4x100m relay]. "If I come home with anything less than a medal I will be bitterly disappointed but there's a lot of people running quicker at the moment so I've got to do something about that." Ohuruogu, who won gold in Beijing over 400m, pipped Donna Fraser to victory and afterwards told BBC Sport: "It's great to be back and support the sport and give something back. "I'm now going to the US to sharpen up." Highlights - Ohuruogu prevails in 200m Despite her victory, the day belonged to Farah after he lowered the record he set in Glasgow last week. "It's been a really good day," he told BBC Sport. "The last few races have gone really well and today went even better. "Leading up to it I knew I was on for breaking the GB record again. I knew I could go quicker. I'm in better shape and my attitude towards running has changed a lot. "I was disappointed last year and I've just gone out there and worked really hard in Kenya. I'm approaching races with a lot more confidence. "I'm a lot happier in my head - I'm listening to my body a lot more - I over-cooked it in the summer and when things don't go well you tell yourself 'that's not happening again'. "I'm really looking forward to the European indoors. Some people are already hanging the gold around my neck. I obviously want to win but it's going to be hard work. " Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva failed to break her 27th world record in the pole vault. The Olympic champion cleared 4.82m at the second attempt to easily win the competition, but failed with all three attempts at 5.01m. Kate Dennison improved her British record by one centimetre to 4.46m in finishing in a tie for third. Dennison raises UK pole vault record Britain's Marilyn Okoro and Jenny Meadows came home first and second in the 800m, both setting personal bests in doing so. Kelly Sotherton was not competing because of an injection required for a heel injury but she is hoping to be fit for Turin. Phillips Idowu, who was also missing on Saturday for precautionary measures, should also be available after overcoming a knee complaint.