The performance of Athens- bound Croydon Harriers athlete Donna Fraser was one of the high points in a mixed night for British athletics at Crystal Palace last Friday, writes Ziad Chaudry.

Running in front of her home crowd at the Norwich Union London Grand Prix, Fraser was beaten into second place by Lee McConnell in a specially arranged 400m battle between the British athletes heading for the Olympics.

Donna said: "I'm pleased with that because I'm getting the race pattern in my mind now, my confidence is coming back.

"It has been a case of running too hard in some races and not in others but now it's coming together.

"I've got a 200 metres to run shortly which will be my last race before the Olympics but more important than that I'm feeling good and not worried about injuries."

The story of the night was Russian pole vault sensation Yelena Isinbayeva who smashed her own world record with a leap of 4.90m. It was the third time in five weeks, all on British soil, that 24-year-old Isinbayeva has improved her world mark, despite fierce competition from her compatriot and former world record holder Svetlana Feofanova who couldn't quite make 4.95m.

In the night's showpiece event, Jamaica's Asafa Powell blasted past reigning Olympic champion and world number one Maurice Greene to win the 100m, setting a new UK all-comers' record of 9.91 secs.

However, the big crowd were disappointed not to see any British sprinters in the final.

On a more positive note for the British team, the meeting saw four winners from the Athens-bound British Olympic Squad.

Chris Rawlinson had a great 400m hurdles victory over the current fastest man in the world, US Olympic trials winner James Carter, winning in 43.48 secs.

Belgrave Harriers Phillips Idowu won the triple jump with a leap of 17.47m in the final round. Kelly Holmes strode away powerfully to win the 1500m in 4:04.07, and Herne Hill Harriers Jade Johnson demonstrated her Olympic medal aspirations for Athens by winning the long jump with a leap of 6.65m. She defeated a field including Denise Lewis.