LAURA MUIR lost the battle but won the war last night as the Scot lifted the overall Diamond Race title despite coming second in the 1500 metres at the Weltklasse meeting in Zurich.

The 23-year-old bolted past Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon on the final bend but was then pipped by American rival Shannon Rowbury’s lunge over the line.

But with Kipyegon fading to seventh, Muir – whose time of 3:57.85 means she now has the three quickest runs in UK history - topped the season standings with 40 points from her Diamond League outings with the Kenyan marooned on 36.

“I never expected anything like this,” she said. “There is not really something I will need to improve for next year. I am the Diamond Race winner, this is big for me. Because running in a Diamond League race is already something special for me. I did not know at first that I won the Diamond Race because it depended on Faith Kipyegon, whether she would finish third or fourth.”

Lynsey Sharp was the last woman home after fading to 11th in the 800 metres as Rio gold medallist Caster Semenya took victory, and the Diamond Race title, ahead of Francine Niyonsaba, leaving the Scot fourth in the points table.

Eilidh Doyle, who can clinch her Diamond Race by winning in Brussels next Friday, came third in the 400m hurdles behind Shamier Little and Sara Petersen.

Elsewhere, Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson repeated her Olympic victory in the 200m by 0.01 seconds over silver medallist Dafne Schippers with Dina Asher-Smith fourth but the Dutchwoman still claimed the season crown.

Meanwhile Muir is to take on fellow Scots Steph Twell and Eilish McColgan over a mile at next weekend’s Great North CityGames in Newcastle. While Andy Butchart, who missed Zurich due to injury, will face former world champion Bernard Lagat in the men’s mile – three weeks after the American pipped him to fifth place in the Olympic 5000m final.

“It’ll be good to return to Newcastle,” the Scot said. “I pulled up short last time out so I’ve got a bit of unfinished business there. The whole Olympic experience was amazing, to finish sixth in an Olympic final is something that I’m very proud of and it’ll be good to see everybody again for the Great North CityGames.”