Muir doubling up in bid to claim British 3,000m title

Dundee Hawkhill Harrier Laura Muir will double up at next weekend’s Scottish Indoor Championships at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena, writes our athletics correspondent.

The two-time European indoor champion competes in the 800m and 1,500m before racing at the British Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham on February 17-18.

There she will look to claim her first British title over 3,000m as well as securing her spot on the British team ahead of the World Indoor Championships in March.

The Milnathort athlete said training has been going really well over the longer distances, and the 3,000m in Birmingham will form part of preparations for the World Indoor Championships.

“If I come away with the victory in Birmingham it will complete the full middledistance set, having previously won the 800m and 1,500m at the championships in recent years,” she said.

Muir knows nothing is a given at the championships – which act as the trials for the world indoors – in a month’s time as Dundee Hawkhill colleague Eilish Mccolgan and Steph Twell have also accepted their invitations for the event.

“There should be a lot of depth at the trials so it will be exciting for everyone,” she said.

The main target for Muir is the Worlds in Birmingham, particularly after performing so well indoors last year.

“I train indoors a lot so it’s an environment that I’m very comfortable with,” she said.

Muir knows there will be something of a target on her back, but will prepare for competition full of confidence.

“We knew after the Rio Olympics that we wanted to make a statement, as it were, and I think we did that,” she added.

“Now I think people recognise that when I do run indoors I run very well and I know how to judge things, so I think having done the double gave me a lot of confidence and with quick times.”

Laura Muir is looking to complete a middledistance full set.