Learmonth targeting medals after shake up

Guy Learmonth claims shaking up his backroom team can convert potential into poaching medals at major championships.

The Borderer gets his second test of the summer over 800 metres at tonight’s Continental Tour leg in Chorzow.

It is a chance to rebound from a tough opener in Bydgoszcz last week when Learmonth slumped to ninth.

But the European indoor finalist believes his decision to split from childhood coach Henry Gray and turn to Australian coach Justin Rinaldi will pay off come the Olympics in Tokyo.

He said: “I wasn’t able to pull it off last year and it was a combination of injuries and everything else going on. It was way too chaotic.

“Now I’ve a better balance, with good people in good places working around me.

“I felt like I was carrying my whole team at times before. But when things don’t go right, that brings a lot of pressure. Now everything is sorted and I want that, so I can chase medals at major championship and make up for last year, which was a disaster.”

After landing her maiden Diamond League win in Stockholm on Sunday, Jemma Reekie will bid for a fourth 800m win out of four in 2020 at the Polish meeting.

But it has been confirmed that the 22-year-old and training partner Laura Muir have joined the list of big-name absentees from next week’s British Championships in Manchester.

After shredding her personal best in Bydgoszcz, Erin Wallace joins Eloise Walker in the women’s 1500m at tonight’s Trafford Grand Prix in Manchester in an internal battle of Andy Young’s training group.

Eilish Mccolgan runs the 3000m while Sol Sweeney, of Perth Strathtay Harriers, goes in the men’s 1500m.