Diamond runs will get me in sparkling form

JOSH KERR will make only his second appearance on the Diamond League circuit today in Birmingham with the Olympic bronze medallist out to sharpen up for his world title bid in July.

The Seattle-based Scot gets a topclass test at the Alexander Stadium where he aims to also hunt Commonwealth Games gold this summer.

Kerr has already added the European mile and British 1500m record indoors to his collection in 2022 but after racing mostly Stateside since leaving Edinburgh at 17, the 24-year-old is intent on more duels with his rivals to fuel his ambition to rule the world.

Kerr said: “I don’t think if I’d run any Diamond Leagues last year I’d have won the Olympics. I’ve just got to be better overall at racing.

“I want to get into 1500s that help me run faster. And that’s pretty much what these Diamond Leagues are.

“But Jakob Ingebrigtsen didn’t beat Timothy Cheruiyot until our Olympic final. So you don’t need to beat someone before a major championships to beat them there.

“You’ve got to be able to navigate rounds better and turn up on the day. I want to prepare for that so I’m going to need better competition than the US can provide.”

Laura Muir returns from a back injury in the women’s 1500m with training partner Jemma Reekie among her challengers in a rare switch-up from the 800.

Reekie said: “I’m still definitely an 800 runner. It’s probably more just open up and see where we’re at.

“I’ve got probably a long season so it’s probably nice to mix it up at the start.”

● Neil Gourley moved up to sixth in the all-time Scottish 1500m rankings in winning the USATF Classic in California in 3:35.43, inside the qualifying standard for Europeans and Commonwealths.