THERE will never be another Super Saturday at London’s Olympic Stadium quite like the one from 2012, but as far as reunions go, this year’s edition of the Anniversary Games created plenty of memories to savour.

There were no victories for Jessica Ennis-Hill or Greg Rutherford but there were positive signs with the World Championships less than five weeks away. And with two UK records falling there were notes of optimism that the successes of three summers ago might be replicated, or surpassed, in Rio.

Dina Asher-Smith was only fourth in the 100 metres final behind Dutch rival Dafne Schippers but the 19-year-old Londoner had already made her mark. Three months after she claimed the British record in Hengelo, she slashed it still further, sweeping through a significant milestone with a time of 10.99 seconds in her semi-final to become the first British woman to break the 11-second barrier.

In such circumstances, the subsequent loss did not hurt so much. “They did beat me but I felt comfortable and wasn’t too nervous,” she said. “I still have work to do. In both races there is stuff to work on so hopefully I can go faster. I was in an amazing field with an Olympic medallist, Olympic finalists, world medallists and world finalists so I was grateful to be there.

“I looked around the call room and just thought, ‘wow, these are people I watched on TV’, so to be in a race with them was out of this world. I was genuinely happy to be there. I’m happy with my progress but hopefully I can do even better.”

Shara Proctor also elevated the UK all-time mark in the high jump with a leap of 6.98 metres. “I didn’t see this coming,” she said. “I had surgery last year, I was on crutches, so I didn’t expect to be this strong.”

Despite her accomplishment, eyes around the sand pit were trained on the endeavours of Ennis-Hill and Katarina Johnson- Thompson, both potential medallists in the heptathlon in Beijing and both fighting to regain prime form with their physios in tow.

Ennis-Hill, barely a year after the birth of her son Reggie, must decide today whether she wishes to be considered for the worlds. The two days of the Diamond League meeting were a prolonged fitness test. With season’s bests in the long jump and later in the 200m the signs are promising that her form is returning.

“I definitely feel a lot more positive,” she said. “I feel the training I’ve done over the past few weeks has made a big difference. I didn’t expect to do as well in the hurdles. It’s an amazing atmosphere here. The track’s amazing. But that’s going to be the same in Beijing as well so I feel happy I’ve been able to race my standards.”

Ultimately, if she cannot contend in China, she will throw her energies towards Rio and the fight to become the first British woman to retain an Olympic title. “For me there is no point in going [to Beijing]and finishing, fifth, eighth, 20th,” her coach Toni Minichiello said. “I wouldn’t go, I’d just train, do some work and move on next year.”

Johnson-Thompson has no such reticence. Recovering from an injury sustained in the wake of taking the European pentathlon title in March, the Liverpudlian – who came fourth with a jump of 6.50m – will go full steam ahead in her quest for a global crown.

“I’ve had a completely different season from the way I imagined it and I think coming away with a medal would be a great achievement for me,” she said. “Obviously I’m always going for the gold. I’m just glad to be able to compete.”

A lack of practice over seven events will be no handicap, she added. “I don’t forget how to do it. I didn’t do a pentathlon before I did Prague and I got through that OK, and with the timetable this time, it’s like two rounds and then go and have a sleep.”

At least six Scots should be named in the full GB and NI squad on Tuesday, with Jax Thoirs left frustrated with a sub-par showing in the pole vault of 6.30m and Lynsey Sharp emboldened by her third place over 800 metres in what was an A-List field.

There is more to come, she senses, with one further primer in Stockholm on Thursday and training to switch into a quicker gear. “It’s going to take 1:57 to get to the final and medal,” the 25-year-old said. “I’m fairly sure I’m capable of that, having run 1:58 last year. It’s not about running fast in May. It’s about running fast in August.”

Chris O’Hare should be included for Beijing but his fate is in the hands of the selectors after he faded from first to 10th over the final lap of the Emsley Carr Mile as Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop strode clear. The Edinburgh-born European medallist has one qualifying standard which, given his pedigree, should suffice but this was a performance to forget.

“I was happy enough to be leading with 400 to go and then they ran by me and I realised it wasn’t that fast,” he said. “I felt fine. I got to 100 to go and was waiting for it to open up for me. It did but the next gear wasn’t there. I’m disappointed because I know I can do better in that kind of race but you live and learn.”

Elsewhere, Rutherford came third in the long jump while European Under-23 medallist Rhona Auckland was the best of the Scots in the women’s 5,000m, recording a personal best of 15:27.60. The third day of the Games this afternoon sees the world’s leading para athletes gathering, with the sprinter Jonnie Peacock topping the bill.