By Owen Morgan
Two of Wales’ Olympic hopefuls experienced contrasting fortunes in the south of France on Saturday night.
Jake Heyward clocked a big new 800m personal best while Melissa Courtney-Bryant dropped out of the 1500m on her final lap.
Having run two 1500m Olympic qualifying times and a new personal best over the distance during the past two weeks, Heyward dropped down to the two lap distance at the Meeting International De Nice.
And the Cardiff athlete continued that sparkling form as he clocked a new PB of 1:47.25 to obliterate his previous best of 1:48.61set back in 2018.
The Welshman finished ninth overall in the race which was won by fellow Brit Oliver Dustin, but will be delighted with the time as he builds up for the Muller Athletics British Championships and Olympic trials later this month where he will be targeting the 1500m.
Meanwhile, Courtney-Bryant, making her first appearance of the summer, looked well placed in the early stages of a fast 1500m.
The Commonwealth Games 1500m bronze medallist was fourth at the bell, but then pulled up and stepped off the track with just under 200m to go.
The Poole AC athlete has previously said she is targeting Olympic qualifying over 5,000m rather than 1500m although she has accepted invitations over both distances at the British championships and trials on June 25.