The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Muir shines in Monaco by smashing UK record
ATHLETICS: Hawkhill Harrier finishes second but breaks Holmes’ 1999 time
Dundee Hawkhill Harrier Laura Muir relishes the sprinkle of stardust which always seems to rain down upon Monaco’s stellar Herculis meeting.
On the three prior occasions that the European champion has dropped anchor among the luxurious yachts belonging to the monied residents of this principality, she has set sail afterwards with a rich new personal best as her bounty.
Last night was no exception. In the opening Diamond League leg of this curtailed campaign, the Milnathort athlete navigated her path to yet another British record in the 1,000 metres, once again re-writing a benchmark that Dame Kelly Holmes had procured during her golden heyday.
It required one of Muir’s now familiar dogged drives down the home straight to see her clock 2:30.82 in hot pursuit of the Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon.
The Kenyan’s time of 2:29.15 was the second-fastest in history.
Ciara Mageean, in third, sequestered the Northern Irish best after being corralled on the last lap while Jemma Reekie, while fading towards the line, was also inside Holmes’ old mark with fourth in 2:31.11 after she had briefly headed Muir during their charge to the line.
In front of only 5,000 spectators and an infusion of artificial cheering, Muir felt a sense of joyous normality return within the bubble created here.
“It was really good just to get out there,” she said. “It was a great atmosphere. I’m just really happy with that race and to get a British record as well.
“You want to race. I’d have loved to have gone out there and got the win. But to come second to an Olympic champion is pretty good. I’d gone for the record once before but to get it here is great.”
In the pantheon of male British middle-distance running, they still talk in reverential terms of the mighty trio of Seb Coe, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram and the global dominance they achieved over 1,500 metres. Yet a ferocious turn from Scot Jake Wightman last night propelled him above all three of the past masters in the UK’S historical charts as the 25-yearold delivered the turn of his career so far.
The European and Commonwealth bronze medallist backed himself in a smooth pursuit of world champion Timothy Cheruiyot and Norwegian wunderkind Jakob Ingebrigtsen, slashing his Scottish record by over two seconds to 3:29.45 in some style indeed.
Elsewhere, Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei shattered a world record in the men’s 5,000 metres that had belonged to the great Kenesisa Bekele since 2004 with a superlative victory in 12:35.36.
Hawkhill Harrier Eilish Mccolgan was adrift in seventh in the women’s 5,000m, which was won by Kenya’s world champion Hellen Obiri. Laura Weightman’s ambitious challenge was rewarded with third place.