Aussie Billings just misses national 800m record in Shanghai

Sarah Billings has narrowly missed breaking the Australian women’s 800 metres record as she enjoyed another breakthrough performance at the Shanghai Diamond League meet.

Following her third place in the 1,000m at the Xiamen leg of the Diamond League circuit last weekend, Billings finished second in the 800m on Saturday. 

She clocked a personal best of 1 minute and 57.83 seconds as she chased home Ethiopian winner Tsige Duguma (1:56.64).

Billings’s time was just 0.05 outside Catriona Bisset’s national mark of 1:57.78, set in London six years ago.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Billings said after the race.

“I’ve been picked for the world championships in the 1,500m already, so that’s still the main goal.

“But that was pretty close to the national record, so I’m really happy.”

Billings was not the only Australian to reach the podium.

Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson finished second and third respectively behind Ukraine’s Olympic champion and world record holder, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, in the women’s high jump.

Olyslagers cleared 1.98m on her second attempt to finish ahead of Patterson (1.95m) but Mahuchikh’s 2.00m clearance again put her on top

Mahuchikh won ahead of Patterson and Olyslagers in Xiamen.

Sweden’s Olympic and world champion Armand Duplantis soared 6.11m to win the men’s pole vault.

Australian Kurtis Marschall cleared 5.72m to claim fourth place.

AAP