Two Canadian Olympic medal hopefuls did not enjoy a perfect tune-up on Friday at the Diamond League track and field meet in Monaco.
Edmonton’s Marco Arop, the reigning world champion in the men’s 800 metres, finished sixth in the event at the Monaco competition in one minute, 42.93 seconds
Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati won in 1:41.46, the fastest time in the world this year.
Arop, whose personal best is 1:42.85, appeared to ease up toward the end of the race after leading at 500 metres.
Meanwhile, Christopher Morales Williams of Vaughan, Ont. finished sixth in the men’s 400 metres in his pro debut. The 19-year-old had the world’s fastest time earlier this year and also set an unofficial indoor world record.
Morales Williams crossed the line Friday in 45.11 seconds. American Quincy Hall won in 43.80.
In other events, Alysha Newman of London, Ont. finished fourth in the women’s pole vault, while Toronto’s Lucia Stafford set a Canadian record in the women’s 2,000 metres (not an Olympic event) and finished sixth.