O'Rourke continues to show good form

Athletics Stockholm Grand PrixDerval O'Rourke is at least proving her consistency ahead of the European Championships in less than two weeks.

The World Indoor champion last night finished third over the 100 metre hurdles B-race at the Stockholm Grand Prix, one of the last test runs before the Europeans, which take place in nearby Gothenburg.

Her time of 12.94 seconds was a little short of her Irish record of 12.92 she set earlier this month in Lausanne, but again inside her previous record of 12.96, which had stood since 2003.

Victory went to Canada's former world champion Perdita Felicien in 12.87 seconds, with Spain's Glory Alozie, one of O'Rourke's main rivals for the Europeans, taking second in 12.89.

O'Rourke did beat Jenny Kallur of Sweden, who was fifth in 13.21, although a little later in the A-race, the other Kallur sister Susanna ran 12.79 to take fifth place - and remains the favourite for the European title.

That race was won very impressively by the American Michelle Perry, who ran 12.60.

One last test for O'Rourke will take place this evening when she moves to Finland to run the Helsinki Grand Prix, and a sub-12.90 clocking still looks very much on the cards ahead of the Europeans.

Commonwealth triple jump champion Phillips Idowu was no match for his rivals. Idowu, rated a British medal hope at next month's European Championships, never looked like reproducing the form that recently won him the British trial with a clearance of 17.50 metres.

With only two of his six jumps valid, his best effort was just 16.49m as he finished a disappointing eighth in the 1912 Olympic stadium.

Brazil's Jadel Gregorio won the competition, leaping 17.39m ahead of the USA's world champion, Walter Davis - who had a best effort of 17.32m with his final attempt.

Olympic champion Christian Olsson - who will be defending his European title in Gothenburg next month - sneaked into third place with a last-round effort of 17.24m.

Bahrain's Maryam Jamal won the 1,500 metres with the excellent time of 3:58.96, ahead of France's Latifa Essarokh (3:59.61) and Commonwealth silver medallist Sarah Jamieson, who set an Australian record of 4:00.93.