Hunter Bell, Asher-Smith & Burgin impress in Zurich

Georgia Hunter Bell, Dina Asher-Smith, and Max Burgin, all of whom finished their preparations for the World Championships in March, put together impressive performances in the Diamond League Final.

With only 16 days until the action in Tokyo on September 13th, the trio, who were all named in the British squad for Tokyo earlier this week, finished in second place in Zurich.

Olympic 1500m bronze medalist Hunter Bell finished runner-up in a thrilling finish against Switzerland’s Audrey Werro (1: 55.91), having last week chosen to target the 800m in search of another global podium.

Hunter Bell placed third on the British record for all time, ahead of Dame Kelly Holmes, whose switch to 800m might see her compete alongside Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson in the world championship.

Hunter Bell told BBC World Service Sport, “It would be amazing to be on the podium.”

Asher-Smith placed third in the 100-meter race and placed second in the 200-meter race as she continued to build momentum before Tokyo.

The 29-year-old made the decision to alter her training regimen mid-season after spending some time in the United States.

Julien Alfred, St Lucia’s Olympic champion, won the 100-meter race in 10.76 seconds, while Asher-Smith ran 10.94.

The Briton ran out of breath in the 200-meter race less than 90 minutes later, clocking 22.18 and finishing in second place behind American Brittany Brown (22.13), while fellow Briton Amy Hunt finished fifth in 22.61.

“I’m really proud of myself,” I said. It’s a testament to the amazing people I’ve got around me and my own resilience, Asher-Smith said, with a significant coaching change and continent shifts halfway through the season.

In the night’s final competition of the night, American Noah Lyles overcame Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo to win the men’s 200-meter race.

Lyles, the 100-meter Olympic champion, made it through the first week of this year’s season without an injury, but he showed that he is peaking at the right moment by winning in 19.74, ahead of Tebogo, Botswana’s top finisher, in 19.76.

World indoor 60-meter champion Christian Coleman (10.03), who was previously the country’s champion, won the men’s 100-meter final in 9.97 against Germany.

By pushing Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi to the line in the men’s 800-meter final, Burgin showed his readiness to compete for a global medal.

Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser won the women’s 400-meter race in 48.70 seconds, beating world indoor champion Amber Anning, 24, who finished in fifth place overall.

George Mills resumed action after suffering a wrist fracture in a fall at the London Diamond League in July. He dominated the men’s 3, 000m race but sputtered in the home straight.

Mills broke Mo Farah’s British record in that event in June, allowing him to concentrate on the 5, 000m in Tokyo.

Femke Bol and Karsten Warholm, both reigning world champions, set new records in the 400-meter hurdles finals.

For the fifth consecutive year in a row, Bol won the Diamond League Final while Warholm won his third title with a 46.70 run.

Alastair Chalmers of Great Britain won the men’s final in 48.88.

Before the Letzigrund Stadium’s final 26 trophies were decided, six field competitions took place on Wednesday in a temporary arena in the city center.

The athletes who had the most points in each of the 14 regular series meetings this year competed in the two-day winner-takes all Diamond League Final.