Jemma: There’s still a lot Muir to come from me
JEMMA REEKIE has learned all the tricks of the trade from Laura Muir but has vowed to turn the tables and give the Scots star a run for her money.
With Muir opting out of the inaugural Athletics World Cup in London, 20-year-old Reekie will get the chance to show she’s one to watch with her debut for GB&NI in the 1500metres tonight
It’s a huge step up for the Kilbarchan starlet who stormed to European junior gold last summer and then set her sights on cracking the big time.
And she reckons taking over her mentor’s place at the top of British running is the ultimate goal.
Reekie said: “Laura is positive in helping me but I hopefully help her a bit too. It would be amazing just to be as good as her but I want to go faster.
“I’d like to hold that British record one day. I know I get compared to her in the way she was compared to Kelly Holmes. That’s amazing.
“But you’re never happy. You always want to go quicker. Laura has the British record. In the years to come, I’d like to have it.”
The World Cup pits the top eight nations over two days at the London Stadium but the clash with that other World Cup in Moscow – and Wimbledon – means it’s set to get off to a rough start.
And a host of A-Listers, including Muir and South African ace Caster Semenya, have pulled out, with Scots hope Neil Gourley called up at the last minute yesterday to run the men’s 1500m.
It’s just the latest step in a long-running dream for Reekie, who quit school at 16 and backed herself to make it all the way to the Olympics.
She said: “Ever since I was little I’ve struggled to do anything just for fun.
“My mum and dad say I always pushed myself. They would go, ‘You can’t do that.’ And I’d go off and practise all day to prove them wrong. I’ve always been like that.”
Elsewhere in London, new Scots sprint sensation Beth Dobbin lands her senior British bow in tomorrow’s 200metres.