Mokoena stumbles in London

Johannesburg - Olympic long jump silver medallist Khotso Mokoena stumbled in his build-up to the World Athletics Championships later this month with a sixth-place finish on the opening day of the Diamond League meeting in London on Friday.

The 26-year-old South African failed to get beyond eight metres in his six attempts, settling for a best of 7.93m in the fifth round.

Australian Mitchell Watt won with a second round leap of 8.45m, improving the two-year-old meeting record, set by American Dwight Phillips, by 15 centimetres.

Watt stretched his lead in the Diamond League standings with one competition remaining in the discipline this season.

The Australian held 12 points, and Mokoena hung on to second place with six points -- tied with Greg Rutherford of Great Britain who finished third in London with an 8.19m leap in the opening round.

There were no South Africans in the start lists for the second and final day of the competition on Saturday.