Lynsey Sharp’s hopes of elbowing her way back to the head of the pack were brutally derailed in Oslo last night as the Scot crashed miserably out of the Bislett Games.

The former European champion, 28, headed to Norway on a quest to corral a speedy time in the 800m after a relatively sluggish start to her summer campaign; however, amid an ultra-slow pace, she was tripped at the bell and left flat on her back as Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi won the charge for victory in 2:01.93 with fellow Briton Shelayna Oskan-Clarke in seventh.

And Sharp will now head to Sunday’s Diamond League leg in Rabat in urgent need of a change of fortune to avoid a repetition of her delayed ascent of 2018.

“It was only by the Diamond League in London that I got myself together,” she said. “I really want to get back to that, even if next year is the main goal. It’s all about building towards that.”

The Herald:

READ MORE: Eilish McColgan eyes move to the road after Tokyo Olympics

Sharp’s other half Andy Butchart kept his feet in the Diamond League 3000m to finish 10th in 7:43.57. But despite the Scottish record holder’s second-fastest run at the distance, he was well off Ethiopia’s teenage tyro Selemon Barega who set a world lead of 7:43.97 in victory.

“I think I can run faster, hopefully under 7.30,” Barega said. “I want to try to qualify for Doha in both 5000 and 10,000m. I never ran the longer distance but I’m preparing for a debut in July. It will be tough, but I want to try.”