Diamond day for WSEH's Lake as she claims breakthrough victory

Morgan Lake. Getty Images for British Athletics

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British high jumper Morgan Lake delivered one of the standout performances of the sold out Novuna London Athletics Meet on Saturday, securing her first ever Diamond League crown in the process.

Lake (Yannick Tregaro, Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow) has been working on her technique over the past few seasons in a bid to get closer to the world’s best female high jumpers.

It finally seems that she’s on the verge of mixing it with the very best on a more consistent basis after defeating a world class field at the London Stadium with a clearance of 1.96m.

That field included world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh and there’s a sense Lake could be about to challenge for medals and podium finishes on a world level - something that’s eluded her for the most part during her career so far.

On Saturday, she was the only athlete in the field to clear 1.96m, with Eleanor Patterson finishing second with a jump of 1.93m and Christina Honsel third with a clearance of 1.93m also.

Three strong attempts followed for Lake at 2.00m as she bid to beat her own personal best, including an incredibly tight failure on her third jump.

Lake’s current personal best is 1.99m and she’ll be hoping to beat that soon with the form she’s showing so far this season.

It was a promising day for British athletes at the London Stadium, with the women’s 4x100m team delivering a world leading time to claim victory following impressive wins for Charlie Dobson in the men’s 400m and Georgia Hunter Bell, who produced a superb performance to win the 800m.

There was also more success for Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow AC, with Tyri Donovan (Marina Armstrong, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow) equalling his lifetime best to land a statement win in the men’s national 400m hurdles.

His time of 48.46 edged out Seamus Derbyshire’s (Alex O’Gorman, City of Stoke) 48.82.