London Grand Prix

London Grand Prix
Sainsbury's Anniversary Games

The Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, host of the event from 2013.
Date July – August
Location London, England (Glasgow, Scotland in 2014.)
Event type Track and field
Established 1953
Official site London Grand Prix

The London Athletics Grand Prix is an annual athletics event held in London, England. The 2014 edition was held in Glasgow, Scotland, as preparation for the Commonwealth Games held there later that month. The 2013 edition was known as the "Anniversary Games", as it took place in the Olympic Stadium in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, exactly one year after the Olympic Games were held in the same venue. Previous editions were always held at the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace, however, it is not planned to return to the venue as it is seen by the organisers as a step down from the last venues.

Previously one of the five IAAF Super Grand Prix events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. One of the highlights of the event is the Emsley Carr Mile, which dates back to 1953.

History

The Emsley Carr Mile remains a fixture at the annual meeting, with a history spanning back to 1953 at the White City Stadium. Emsley Carr, an athletics fan and the editor of The News of the World, created an annual mile race in the hope that the first four-minute mile would be achieved on British soil. Gordon Pirie won the first race, but Roger Bannister had run sub-4 minutes in Oxford by time that the second race was competed. However, the tradition continued, with the winner signing his name in a red leather-bound book identical to the Bible used in Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. Derek Ibbotson achieved the first sub-4 minute run at the race in 1956, and many of the best middle-distance runners have won at the Emsley Carr Mile since, including Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett and Hicham El Guerrouj.[1]

On 24 January 2013, it was announced that London Grand Prix will be moved to the Olympic Stadium for 2013. The London Legacy Development Corporation had expressed interest in holding an athletics event at the stadium to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the start of the 2012 Summer Olympics.[2] After the 2013 event a return to Crystal Palace was ruled out as according to Ed Warner it would be a backward step. Hampden Park which was due to host the athletics events at the Commonwealth Games and a temporary venue in Horse Guards Parade and the Mall were mooted for the 2014 edition, before a return to the Olympic Stadium in 2015 due to a gap in the reconstruction schedule.[3] A four-year sponsorship deal with Sainsburys was announced in January 2014.[4] In February 2014 it was confirmed that the Grand Prix event would move to Hampden Park and be known as the Glasgow Grand Prix.[5] A separate non-Diamond League event, in the street athletics format, would also take place in London, and be treated as the 2014 Sainsbury's Anniversary Games.

2009 event

On the first day of 2009 event, blustery winds halted a number of athlete's record ambitions. Usain Bolt saw off Asafa Powell in the 100 metres main event, but pole vault favourite Yelena Isinbayeva lost for the first time in 18 competitions, beaten by Anna Rogowska. Kate Dennison set an eighth British record in the pole vault.[6] Two stadium records were set on the second day, by Tirunesh Dibaba in the 5000 metres, and Lashinda Demus in the 400 metres hurdles (which was the fastest ever on UK soil). The event ended as Usain Bolt anchored the Racers Track Club team to the fourth fastest 4×100 metres relay ever.[7]

Meeting records

Men

Event Record Athlete Nationality Date Ref Video
100 m 9.78 (−0.4 m/s) Tyson Gay  United States 13 August 2010
200 m 19.76 (−0.4 m/s) Usain Bolt  Jamaica 26 July 2008
400 m 43.98 Michael Johnson  United States 10 July 1992
800 m 1:42.91 David Rudisha  Kenya 5 August 2011 [8]
Mile 3:45.96 Hicham El Guerrouj  Morocco 5 August 2000
3000 m 7:29.70 Haile Gebrselassie  Ethiopia 7 August 1999
110 m hurdles 12.93 (+0.6 m/s) Aries Merritt  United States 13 July 2012 [9]
400 m hurdles 47.74 Derrick Adkins  United States 7 July 1995
3000 m steeplechase 8:06.86 Brimin Kiprop Kipruto  Kenya 27 July 2013 [10]
High jump 2.41 m Javier Sotomayor  Cuba 15 July 1994
Pole vault 6.03 m Renaud Lavillenie  France 25 July 2015 [11]
Long jump 8.45 m (+1.4 m/s) Mitchell Watt  Australia 5 August 2011 [12]
Triple jump 17.69 m (+0.5 m/s) Jonathan Edwards  United Kingdom 7 July 1995
Shot put 22.43 m Reese Hoffa  United States 3 August 2007
Discus throw 67.82 m Gerd Kanter  Estonia 14 August 2010
Javelin throw 90.81 m Steve Backley  United Kingdom 22 July 2001
4×100 m relay 37.75 Racers Track Club
Mario Forsythe
Kemar Bailey-Cole
Warren Weir
Usain Bolt		  Jamaica 27 July 2013 [13]
37.46 Racers Track Club
Daniel Bailey
Yohan Blake
Mario Forsythe
Usain Bolt		  Antigua and Barbuda /  Jamaica 25 July 2009 [14]

Women

Event Record Athlete Nationality Date Ref
100 m 10.77 (+0.7 m/s) Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce  Jamaica 27 July 2013 [15]
200 m 22.10 (−0.3 m/s) Elaine Thompson  Jamaica 25 July 2015 [16]
400 m 49.05 Sanya Richards-Ross  United States 28 July 2006
800 m 1:58.19 Brenda Martinez  United States 26 July 2013 [17]
1500 m 4:00.67 Sifan Hassan  Netherlands 11 July 2014 [18]
3000 m 8:21.64 Sonia O'Sullivan  Ireland 15 July 1994
5000 m 14:36.41 Tirunesh Dibaba  Ethiopia 13 August 2010
100 m hurdles 12.47 (-1.2 m/s) Jasmin Stowers  United States 24 July 2015 [19]
400 m hurdles 52.79 Kaliese Spencer  Jamaica 5 August 2011 [20]
3000 m steeplechase 9:10.64 Hiwot Ayalew  Ethiopia 12 July 2014 [21]
High jump 2.05 m Kajsa Bergqvist  Sweden 28 July 2006
Pole vault 5.00 m Yelena Isinbayeva  Russia 22 July 2005
Long jump 6.99 m (+1.9 m/s) Naide Gomes  Portugal 25 July 2009 [22]
Triple jump 15.27 m (+1.2 m/s) Yamilé Aldama  Sudan 8 August 2003
Shot put 20.90 m Valerie Adams  New Zealand 27 July 2013 [23]
Discus throw 68.04 m Ilke Wyludda  East Germany 20 July 1990
Javelin throw 66.74 m Christina Obergföll  Germany 5 August 2011 [24]
4×100 m relay 42.32 Jessica Young
Tiffany Townsend
Charonda Williams
Sanya Richards-Ross		  United States 24 July 2015 [25]

Event names

The event has been sponsored by Sainsbury's supermarket since the 2013 edition. It was formerly sponsored by Aviva.[26]

Years Name Sponsor
1953–1979 Rotary Watches International Games Rotary Watches Ltd[27]
1980–1988 Peugeot Talbot Games Peugeot / Talbot[28]
1989–1991 Royal Mail Parcels Games Royal Mail[29]
1992 London Grand Prix none
1993 IAAF Grand Prix Final
1994 TSB Games London Grand Prix Trustee Savings Bank
1995–1996 KP Games London Grand Prix KP Nuts
1997–1998 London Grand Prix none
1999–2001 CGU British Grand Prix CGU plc[30][31][32]
2002–2007 Norwich Union London Grand Prix
2008–2012 Aviva London Grand Prix
2013 Sainsbury's Anniversary Games Sainsbury's
2014 Sainsbury's Glasgow Grand Prix
2015–future Sainsbury's Anniversary Games

Event locations

Years Venue Region Country
1953–2012 National Sports Centre Crystal Palace, Greater London England
2013 Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Stratford, London England
2014 Hampden Park Mount Florida, Glasgow Scotland
2015–present Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Stratford, London England

References

  1. ↑ Powell, David (2003-08-07). Emsley Carr Mile stands test of time. The Times. Retrieved on 2009-07-31.
  2. ↑ "Olympic Stadium to host Diamond League meeting". BBC News. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  3. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/10207709/Athletics-could-return-to-the-Olympic-Stadium-in-2015-due-to-a-gap-in-its-rebuilding-schedule.html
  4. ↑ http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/media/news/2014-news-page/january-2014/01-01-14-sainsburys-sponsorship/
  5. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/26051081
  6. ↑ Brown, Matthew (2009-07-24). Against the wind Bolt blasts 9.91, Isinbayeva's win streak halted at 18 – London Day 1 – IAAF World Athletics Tour. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-07-25.
  7. ↑ Brown, Matthew (2009-07-25). Bolt and Gay highlight; Demus and Dibaba world leads in London, Day 2 – IAAF World Athletics Tour. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-07-31.
  8. ↑ "800m Men: Results" (PDF). Samsung Diamond League. Omega Timing. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  9. ↑ "110 Metres Hurdles Results". IAAF. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  10. ↑ "3000 m steeplechase Men: Results" (PDF). Samsung Diamond League. Omega Timing. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  11. ↑ "Pole Vault Results" (PDF). static.sportresult.com. 25 July 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  12. ↑ "Long Jump Men: Results" (PDF). Samsung Diamond League. Omega Timing. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  13. ↑ "4x100 m relay Men: Results" (PDF). Samsung Diamond League. Omega Timing. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  14. ↑ Matthew Brown (21 July 2009). "Bolt leads Jamaican club's 400-relay team to 37.46". www.bleacherreport.com. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  15. ↑ "100 m Women Heat 1 Results" (PDF). Samsung Diamond League. Omega Timing. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  16. ↑ "200m Results" (PDF). static.sportresult.com. 25 July 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  17. ↑ "800 m Women: Results" (PDF). Samsung Diamond League. Omega Timing. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  18. ↑ Matthew Brown (11 July 2014). "Hassan beats Aregawi again with a meeting record – IAAF Diamond League". IAAF. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  19. ↑ "100m Hurdles Results" (PDF). static.sportresult.com. 24 July 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  20. ↑ "400m Hurdles Women: Results" (PDF). Samsung Diamond League. Omega Timing. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  21. ↑ Matthew Brown (12 July 2014). "Rudisha delivers in Glasgow, Ayalew leads the world over the barriers – IAAF Diamond Leaguee". IAAF. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  22. ↑ Matthew Brown (25 July 2009). "Bolt and Gay highlight; Demus and Dibaba world leads in London, Day 2 – IAAF World Athletics Tour". IAAF. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  23. ↑ "Shot put Women: Results" (PDF). Samsung Diamond League. Omega Timing. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  24. ↑ "Javelin Women: Results" (PDF). Samsung Diamond League. Omega Timing. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  25. ↑ "4×100m Relay Results" (PDF). static.sportresult.com. 24 July 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  26. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/9994300/Sainsburys-announced-as-sponsor-of-Anniversary-Games-at-Olympic-Stadium-after-agreeing-deal-with-UK-Athletics.html
  27. ↑ COMPILATION NOTES GBRathletics. Retrieved on 2013-03-08.
  28. ↑ COMPILATION NOTES GBRathletics. Retrieved on 2013-03-08.
  29. ↑ Astute Pascoe strikes corporate gold The Herald (1989-07-15). Retrieved on 2013-03-11.
  30. ↑ Turnbull, Simon (1999-07-18). Athletics: Palace doubt for mile master The Independent. Retrieved on 2013-03-11.
  31. ↑ Norwich Union London Grand Prix Euromeetings.org Retrieved on 2013-03-08.
  32. ↑ 2001 Review Brits lining up for victory Diamond League London. Retrieved on 2013-03-08.

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