Twell’s gamble fails to pay off in Doha

ATHLETICS: Steph Twell ended up 13th in her first Diamond League outing for two years last night in Doha after her brave gamble to go for broke over 3,000 metres failed to come off. The 22-year-old Scot went with the pacemaker to build a lead of 30 metres over a world-class chasing pack.

But she was caught with 600 metres to go to finish in 9:01.64 as Kenyan world champion Vivian Cheriuyot held off Ethiopian rival Mereset Defar in a world-leading time of 8:46.44.

Twell’s Great Britain team-mate Emma Jackson sliced half a second off her previous 800 metres best to earn the UK Athletics Olympic qualifying standard. She finished fifth in 1:59.37, while Kenya’s Pamela Jelimo triumphed in 1:56.94.

World indoor medallist Andrew Osagie came third behind David Rudisha over 800m while Martyn Rooney was fourth behind LaShawn Merritt over 400m. Merritt, the controversial American sprinter, returned to the track last year after being banned for almost two years for a doping offence.