• Diamond League - London

Leaden-footed Ohuruogu finishes last in 400m final

Christine Ohuruogu (in the background) looked leaden-footed in the women's 400m final © Getty Images

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• Profile: Lisa Dobriskey | Phillips Idowu | Christine Ohuruogu

Reigning Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu displayed hugely concerning form as a leaden performance saw her finish last in Saturday's Diamond League race.

Capable of running 49.61, Ohuruogu - who started in lane six, was last by the 200m stage and never recovered to post a time of 51.87. The race was won by American Sanya Richards-Ross in a personal best 49.66.

"I really don't know what happened," commented Ohuruogu. "I felt really good. I felt fine, I had a cold last week but that's gone. I am very, very shocked, that was really appalling."

Lee McConnell, who helped Britain pick up the silver medal in the European Indoor 4x400m earlier in the year, came fifth with Shana Cox seventh.

Phillips Idowu, the current world triple jump champion, was also disappointing as he failed to challenge en route to a third-placed finish. Idowu only once passed 17 metres, with his first jump, and his leap of 17.07m was a long way from his personal best of 17.81m. American Christian Taylor claimed victory with an effort of 17.68m - a new PB.

"I wasn't expecting massive jumps today," said Idowu. "I thought I would be able to pull out something which would be good enough to win but all my thoughts have turned to Daegu."

Lisa Dobriskey led home a British one-two in the women's 1500m as she and Hannah England saw off their American rivals. Dobriskey posted a time of 4:04.97, which is almost five seconds slower than the fastest time of the year, to earn her first win of the season. Fellow Brits Stacey Smith (7th), Stevie Stockton (8th) and Abbey McGhee (9th) also featured.

"It's such a nice feeling to win a race, I'd not won all season," said Dobriskey. "It's not nice trundling in ninth or 10th in Diamond League meetings. I know I am better than that. I would be silly to go there (to the World Championships) and not aim for a medal. I am working hard and I think it will come. I can turn things around quite quickly."

Lisa Dobriskey believes she can win a world title © PA Photos

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European Indoor 3000m champion Helen Clitheroe had a satisfactory afternoon, booking her place at the World Championships with a new personal best. Clitheroe clocked a time of 15:06.75 to finish second, pumping her fists into the air upon realisation that she had easily achieved the qualifying mark for Daegu.

Tiffany Porter showed plenty of promise in the women's 100m hurdles, finishing third behind the seemingly unbeatable Sally Pearson. Porter recorded a time of 12.78, which was only two tenths behind Pearson's mark of 12.58.

There was disappointment for European 200m silver medallist Christian Malcolm, who slumped to a sixth-placed finish behind winner Walter Dix of the United States. Dix triumphed in a time of 20.16, comfortably ahead of Malcolm (20.90) and fellow Brit James Ellington (21.03).

In the men's 400m hurdles, Rhys Williams failed to threaten his personal best as he finished fourth in a time of 49.72s. Williams is capable of running 48.96s, posted in Barcelona last year, but he was a distance behind winner Javier Culson.

Andy Baddeley was also run out of the medal places in the Emsley Carr mile, finishing behind fellow Brits Nick McCormick (8th) and Adam Cotton (10th) in 12th.

Elsewhere, Britain's quartet of discus throwers finished in the bottom places as Virgilijus Alekna won with a throw of 66.71m, and there was also nothing to shout about for the home representatives in the men's high jump, although Tom Parsons did register a 2.28m season's best for sixth place.

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