More on KentOnline
Jack Green’s on-track resurgence continued with a stellar run at the London Diamond League to record his second fastest ever time and best for five years.
The Shepway 400m hurdle star was handed the tricky ninth lane in a star-studded field for the Muller Anniversary Games at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday afternoon but made light of it to slash a third of a second off his season’s best time and jump into the world’s top eight.
Adopting a new stride pattern between flights of hurdles, the former Brockhill School and Saltwood Primary pupil produced his trademark strong finish to claim sixth place in the race and stop the clock in 48.77secs.
His only previous quicker time is the 48.60secs he ran at the London Diamond League meeting at Crystal Palace on July 13, 2012, as part of the lead-up to the London Olympics.
World No1, Olympic Champion and double World Champion Kerron Clement of the USA won the race in 48.02. the second fastest time in the world this year, with runner-up Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands 0.1secs back in the third-fastest this season.
Green was crownd British Champion for the first time at Birmingham seven days earlier and has set his sights on reaching his first global final at the World Championships back in London next month while his current form has dragged him up four places to No8 in the World.
Green said: “That’s my second fastest time ever and my PB was five years ago, so I’m over the moon.
“That was a new stride pattern out there, so there’s still a lot to work on and some cleaning up to be done. I think this puts me in a good position – I’m in 48-second shape and I’ve said that all year, so to actually do it is great.”
There was some disappointment for Green however as he finished just one Diamond League point adrift of securing a place in his first ever final.