WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
LAURA MUIR was given a painful introduction to the world of top-class 5,000metres running as she collapsed to the track following her World Championships heat.
The Scottish runner lay slumped for several seconds after finishing seventh in a tough race just three days after agonisingly being squeezed out of 1500m bronze in London.
Muir was left to sweat over the outcome of the second heat before discovering she had qualified as a fastest loser for Sunday’s final.
After getting back to her feet, the 24-year-old said: “I feel fine but it’s a long way for me. It’s not what I’m used to, I’m used to the 1500m. I ran as hard as I could but that was really fast.
“We’d been looking at the times in the heats from previous Championships and that was the fastest ever, that I know of anyway.
“I took a day to think about the 1500m then after that I put it behind me and focused on this and, mentally, I was very positive going into this race and I will be hopefully going into the final.
“It felt fine to be honest, apart from that last lap. I have another two or three days until the final so I should be recovered.”
Muir was competing over the distance for only the third time.
And it showed in a heat that included the controversial 10,000m winner and defending 5,000m champion Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia and Olympic silver medallist Hellen Obiri from Kenya.
Obiri, who leads the world lists this year, won in 14mins 56.70 secs, with Ayana fractions behind in second.
The duo left the track as if they had been out for an evening stroll in the sunshine, while Muir, who finished in 14:59.34, lay prone for several seconds.
The Glasgow University veterinary student had been well placed at the bell, but began to struggle in the home straight as the pace quickened with only the top five qualifying outright.
But there was relief for the double European indoor champion with the second heat not as loaded in talent and Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey winning in the same time as Muir. And there was double joy for Scotland with Eilish McColgan qualifying automatically in fourth spot after slicing a massive five seconds off her personal best with a time of 15:00.38.
McColgan, who went out in the heats of the steeplechase at the 2012 Olympics in London, said: “It is great to be back in this stadium. I’m so much more confident this year. London 2012 was scary, but I’m older and more mature now. Laura Muir and I – we’re doing it for Dundee.”
McColgan’s coach and mother Liz, the 1991 world 10,000m champion, has been highly sceptical of Ayana, 25, after seeing her claim the title last Sunday.
Ayana won by a huge 46 seconds 12 months after winning the Olympic title in Rio in a world-record time. McColgan had tweeted: “Until Ethiopia follow proper doping procedures I for one do not accept these athletes’ performances.”
There was disappointment for Britain’s Stephanie Twell, who missed out after finishing 15th in the second heat in 15:41.29. But Jake Wightman qualified for tonight’s 1500m semi-final after finishing fourth in his heat in 3:38.50.
And it was his dad and coach, Geoff, the former British marathon runner who was commentating in his role as the stadium announcer.
Chris O’Hare also made it through, while Britain’s trio of 800m hopefuls Lynsey Sharp, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke and Adelle Tracey all qualified for tonight’s semi-final.
Katarina JohnsonThompson made it into tomorrow’s high jump final after clearing the bar at 1.92m – 12cm higher than she managed in the heptathlon, which cost her a medal. The Liverpool athlete, who finished fifth in the heptathlon, is joined in the final by Morgan Lake, who also cleared 1.92m.
Dina Asher-Smith qualified for tonight’s 200m final, finishing second in her heat in a season’s best time of 22.73.
British team captain Eilidh Doyle was eighth in the 400m hurdles final, won by Kori Carter from USA compatriot Dalilah Muhammad.
TODAY’S ACTION
MORNING 10.00 10.10 10.45 11.05 11.15 11.35 12.55 EVENING 5.00 7.05 7.10 7.35 8.10 8.30 8.45 9.25 9.50
– 100m (m) decathlon – Discus (w) qualification – 100m hurdles (w) heats – Long jump (m) decathlon – High jump (m) qualification – Discus (w) qualification – Shot put (m) decathlon – High jump (m) decathlon – 100m hurdles (w) semi-final – Long jump (w) – 800m (w) semi-final – 1500m (m) semi-final – Hammer (m) – 400m (m) decathlon – 3000m steeplechase (w) – 200m (w)
FINAL FINAL FINAL FINAL