Hudson-Smith & Hodgkinson shine at Diamond League

Matthew Hudson-Smith smashed his European 400m record and Keely Hodgkinson set a national 800m record as Great Britain's Olympic gold medal hopes produced statement performances at the London Diamond League.

World silver medallist Hudson-Smith, 29, clocked 43.74 seconds to set the fastest time in the world this year, six days before the Paris 2024 opening ceremony.

Olympic silver medallist Hodgkinson, 22, improved her world-leading time in 2024 to one minute 54.61 seconds and led British team-mates Jemma Reekie and Georgia Bell - second and third respectively - to personal bests in a stunning performance.

In the final event of the day at a sold-out London Stadium, American world champion Noah Lyles ran a personal best of 9.81 seconds to take victory in the 100m, ahead of South African Akani Simbine and Botswana's Letsile Tebogo.

Britain's rising sprint star Louie Hinchliffe - soon to make his Olympic debut - was fourth in 9.97, while team-mates Zharnel Hughes and Jeremiah Azu were sixth and seventh respectively in 10.00 and 10.08.

Dina Asher-Smith was third in the 200m in 22.07, with compatriot Daryll Neita fourth in 22.20.

American world silver medallist Gabrielle Thomas finished strongly to edge victory in 21.82 from St Lucia's Julien Alfred, who ran 21.86.

Britain's world indoor champion Molly Caudery was third in the women's pole vault with a clearance of 4.65m, while Katarina Johnson-Thompson produced a long jump best of 6.54m to finish fifth.

Hudson-Smith & Hodgkinson ready to chase gold

A crowd of 60,000 at the home of iconic Team GB moments at London 2012 provided the perfect platform for many of Britain’s Paris Olympians to complete their Games preparations.

Two of the squad’s main gold medal hopes shone in particular, Hudson-Smith and Hodgkinson making their intentions clear with world-best performances.

Hudson-Smith missed Tokyo 2020 with injury and his world silver last year was achieved despite Achilles tendonitis wrecking his preparations.

But, after setting a European record of 44.07 in May, he showed he is peaking at the ideal moment before chasing a first Olympic podium.

"It was an amazing crowd. It's always good to perform in front of them and it's a great send-off," Hudson-Smith told BBC Sport.

"It's a long time coming and I'm actually healthy. Now I'm putting in a lot of work. The proof is in the pudding. I'm excited.

"One of the biggest changes is that I'm doing a lot of gym, which I actually hate. I'm an overall better athlete and better person. I'm on salads now."

Behind him, Olympic debutant Charlie Dobson ran a personal best of 44.23 to become the second-fastest British athlete in history in fourth.

The delight was evident on Hodgkinson’s face as she crossed the line to deafening noise at the stadium where she was unable to compete last year because of illness.

A three-time global silver medallist, the European champion was in dazzling form and demonstrated she is ready to end her wait for a global gold after a series of near-misses.

In the absence of American defending champion Athing Mu in Paris, world champion Mary Moraa represents the main obstacle to success for Hodgkinson, who beat the Kenyan in Eugene this season.

"I felt really good. I just wanted to go for it and see what was there. It was a little bit of bravery and fearlessness," Hodgkinson said.

"With a great atmosphere like this, I didn't want to waste the opportunity. I'm feeling really good and confident ahead of Paris."

Reekie - the second-fastest woman this year after running 1:55.61 - will take huge confidence before her podium bid, having missed out on Olympic bronze by 0.08secs in Tokyo, while Bell (1:56.28) and Muir (1:57.63) recorded fast times before contesting the Olympic 1500m.

Among GB's other Olympic medal contenders, Caudery, whose British record clearance of 4.92m is unmatched in the world this year, said her performance felt like a “lost opportunity”.

"I didn't quite do as well as I wanted. It's always such a dream competing here. I love this stadium, I love the British crowd and I still had a lot of fun," said the 24-year-old.

"I'm really excited for my first Olympics, I know today didn't go as planned but I've got so much consistency behind me this year and I'm feeling confident."

In the long jump, Johnson-Thompson, who is aiming to beat two-time defending Olympic heptathlon champion Nafi Thiam in Paris, replicated the 6.54m jump she produced in winning her second heptathlon world title last year.

Lyles stars before bid for multiple Olympic golds

The men’s 100m brought the curtain down on a spectacular day, and it was one of the sport’s major stars who claimed victory as Lyles showed he is in the shape of his life before bidding for an unprecedented four track titles in Paris.

The 24-year-old, who won 100m, 200m and 4x100m world gold last year and is aiming to add the 4x400m to that haul this summer, came through in the closing stages to defeat several of his Olympic rivals, including world silver medallist Tebogo.

"A personal best and getting faster before Paris. I live for the biggest moments. The more eyes the better I perform," said Lyles.

Hughes, who last year claimed a breakthrough first global medal with world 100m bronze, had his season disrupted by a hamstring injury in June and could not compete for victory.

But Hinchliffe, coached by American icon Carl Lewis, can be pleased with another sub-10 second clocking in a breakout season.

"I am happy with the time but I really wanted to win the race," said Hinchliffe, who ran the second-fastest all-condition 100m in British history with a wind-assisted 9.84 in May.

"I am confident in myself, so I am especially happy to finish first Briton in the race. In Paris I am aiming to win."

Asher-Smith and Neita, who will both contest the 100m and 200m events in Paris, ran their fastest times this season before they pursue their first individual Olympic medals.

Earlier, they partnered Amy Hunt and Imani-Lara Lansiquot in the women’s 4x100m relay, taking a commanding win and equalling the British record of 41.55.

Asher-Smith said: "I am a little frustrated but, on the other hand, it is my best time in two years and I am feeling fit and healthy going into the Olympics."

In the men’s 4x100m, Britain’s first team failed to finish following a breakdown in communication between Richard Kilty and Reece Prescod at the final changeover.

Bol hints at epic Olympic showdown

The Netherlands' Femke Bol stormed to victory in the women’s 400m hurdles before her eagerly anticipated showdown with American world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in Paris.

Bol set a meeting record of 51.30, one week after running the third-quickest time in history of 50.95.

Briton Jessie Knight ran a season-best 54.15 for fifth, while Lina Nielsen, also in GB’s Olympic squad, was eighth.

In the men’s event, Brazil’s Alison dos Santos took a dominant victory in 47.18 before an Olympic showdown with Norway’s Karsten Warholm and American Rai Benjamin, while Britain’s Alastair Chalmers finished eighth.

Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce set a world-leading time this year in the women’s 400m, taking victory in 48.57 ahead of Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek.

GB’s Amber Anning was fourth, Laviai Nielsen fifth and Victoria Ohuruogu seventh.

Switzerland’s Dominic Lobalu won the men's 3,000m in 7:27.68, with Jack Rowe the best-placed Briton in 12th in a personal best of 7:38.70.

George Mills, who will contest the men’s 1500m and 5,000m in Paris, and British team-mate Neil Gourley suffered early falls in the Emsley Carr Mile, won by Australian Oliver Hoare in 3:49.03.

Britain's William Grimsey was third in the men’s high jump. Hamish Kerr of New Zealand won after clearing 2.30m, while Olympic champion Mutaz Essa Barshim withdrew.

Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri beat American two-time defending Olympic champion Ryan Crouser to win the men’s shot put with a mark of 22.52m. Briton Scott Lincoln was seventh.

GB's Bekah Walton was eighth in the women’s javelin as Ausralian Mackenzie Little threw a personal-best 66.27m for victory.

Zak Skinner won the ambulant men’s 100m in a national record 10.84 and Sophie Hahn clocked 12.55 to win the women’s race as athletes build towards the Paralympics.

The ambulant men’s 1500m was won by Ben Sandilands in 3:55.10, while Sammi Kinghorn took victory in the wheelchair women’s 800m in 1:43.24.

The Paris 2024 opening ceremony takes place on Friday, before the athletics programme starts on 1 August. The Paralympics begin on 28 August.

The Diamond League series will resume after the Olympics with meets in Lausanne, Silesia, Rome and Zurich before the two-day finals event in Brussels in September.