Not that Australia's Sally Pearson did her ambitions much harm with those IAAF World Championships looming next month in Daegu, as she won a superbly competitive 100 metre hurdles in 12.48sec, an Oceania Area record which now tops this year's world rankings.

"I've come to Europe to get ready for the World Championships and I've had fantastic preparation," said Pearson.

"It's all just come together."

Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway also produced the furthest javelin throw so far this season, reaching 88.30 metres.

But then he has plenty of world titles already.


It may have rained on Birmingham's parade, but even so Asafa Powell was able to offer two convincing demonstrations of 100m running, in heat and final, as he secured victory in the drizzle, making 9.91 - the best his friend, compatriot and serial world champion Usain Bolt has managed so far this year as he seeks to fine tune his world title defence following eight months off with injury.

Nesta Carter and Michael Frater made it a Jamaican clean sweep, taking second and third place respectively in 9.93 and 10.10.

For the home crowd, however, two of the highlights of this Aviva Grand Prix will have been the victories by Farah and Greene in the 5,000m and 400m hurdles respectively.

Farah's winning 5,000m time of 13min 06.14sec may not have been impressive, but his final 400m time of 54.03 certainly was, and also the overall manner of his win against a world-class field as he left Ethiopia's Diamond Race winner of last year and leader of this, Imane Merga, in his wake.

Britain's European and Commonwealth 10,000m champion reached the bell in a stop-start tactical race behind the leader, Australia's Craig Mottram, and had Galen Rupp, with whom he now trains in Oregon under the direction of Alberto Salazar, watching his back as a strong Ethiopian contingent prepared itself for the final burn-up.

As Merga manoeuvred to set up his own sprint, Farah burst past the big Australian and began a long charge for home, with the British spectators doing all they could to encourage him.

The Ethiopian tried to stay with him, but without success, and as the race moved into the final straight Rupp came past him to take second place in a personal best of 13min 06.06sec before embracing a surprised and delighted Farah.

Merga, who remains Diamond Race leader, was timed at 13:07.63, with his fellow countryman Yenew Alamirew fourth in 13:08.78.

A very good night for Salazar.

"It's so nice to win and finish one-two with Galen," said Farah.

"People have asked me about my move to the United States, but as an athlete you've always got to be looking at how to improve yourself and what you can do better.

"Quite often you have to make sacrifices, but you just have to be prepared to cover every move in a race and you've got to get it right on the day."


Greene set the fireworks flaring at the end of the stadium with an impressive victory in the 400m hurdles in 48.20 - a season's best.

Greene, who is coached by Malcolm Arnold, the man who guided the career of Colin Jackson, led into the final straight and took the final hurdle under pressure from Puerto Rico's world silver medallist Javier Culson on his right and the fast-closing former World champion Bershawn Jackson of the United States.

But the Commonwealth and European champion showed what stuff he is made of as he resisted the pincer movement and produced a final surge which got him over the line first on a dip, with Jackson taking second place in 48.22 and Culson third in 48.34.

In fourth place, Greene's 19-year-old training partner and near namesake Jack Green recorded a personal best of 48.98.

Asked about the rain which was falling steadily at the time, Greene joked: "As a Welshman I consider these conditions to be almost tropical."

He added: "It was also good to see Jack running a PB and getting stronger.

"He's got a bright future ahead of him."

His young training partner acknowledged the advantages of being able to train regularly with a world class athlete.

"When you work with someone like Dai every day, why do you need to worry about facing anyone else?" he said.


The expected contest in the Triple Jump between Britain's world champion Phillips Idowu and the young Frenchman who heads this year's world rankings with 17.91m, Teddy Tamgho, never quite materialised in the less than helpful conditions.

Idowu took the honours, with a best of 17.54m, with Cuba's Alexis Copello second, recording 17.12, and his fellow Cuban David Girat third with 17.08.

Tamgho could only finish fifth with an effort of 16.74m, but two expansive no-jumps offered him cause for comfort.

"I lost today but I am very happy because I had two jumps that were very, very long," Tamgho said.

"I think in the next competition I can get a long one.

"I'm close to doing something amazing."

Idowu described it as a "funny" competition, adding: "I managed to pull out one or two decent jumps but the conditions were not great.

"For me the main thing is to be consistent.

"In pretty much all my competitions this year I've been around 17.50m, so it looks good for the World Championships."

The rain which had been promising to arrive as the meeting got underway did so just in time for the first of the men's 100m heats, which saw 2003 world champion Kim Collins finish a disconsolate last after almost falling over as he left the blocks.

Powell qualified with ease in the drifting rain as he won his heat, slowing appreciably over the final 30m after an irresistible start, in 9.95.

The final proved anti-climactic, marred by the disqualification for a false start of Norway's Jaysuma Saidy Ndure, and another faulty start, plus the withdrawal of Michael Rodgers of the United States, who watched the race ruefully rubbing an injured right hamstring.

Earlier, as he had left the team hotel to catch the bus to the stadium, Rodgers had looked up at the grey clouds rolling over and uttered a single word.

When the field finally got away, Powell ran within himself to secure the verdict over his Jamaican colleagues Carter, who recorded 9.93, and Frater, third in 10.01.

"I was a bit cautious in the final with all the false starts, and it was cold out there so I didn't push it from the start," said Powell.

"But it was okay.

"I was only going to do enough to win today.

"At the Worlds I'm definitely going to win.

"I'm going for it and I'll try not to disappoint."

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