21st May, 2012
Lawrence Okoye has broken his British discus record at the Halle Throws International in Germany at the weekend.
The 20-year-old, who is the reigning European under-23 champion, held the previous national best with a throw of 67.63 metres in London last July.
But he produced an effort of 68.24m in the fourth round of throws to finish third and provide the British highlight of the event, showing the form that could take him a long way at London 2012.
Germany’s two-time world champion Robert Harting took first place with a throw of 70.31, ahead of Poland’s Olympic silver medallist Piotr Malachowski, who had four throws of 68m, including a best of 68.94.
Okoye’s British teammates Abdul Buhari and Brett Morse finished in ninth and 11th, after respective best efforts of 61.22 and 59.72, both well below their personal bests.
The Scottish hammer thrower Mark Dry, who has already achieved the Olympic B qualification standard, fell just short of his personal best in finishing fifth in his event with a best of 73.88. His fellow British thrower Alex Smith was 10th with 71.68.
Sophie Hitchon, who has already set the ‘A’ Olympic standard, finished fourth in the women’s hammer with 70.09, while Jade Nicholls and Eden Francis were 11th and 12th in the discus with throws of 56.93 and 56.54