Personal best for McColgan after finishing fifth in 3,000m

Eilish McColgan (Dundee Hawkhill) finished fifth in a top-class 3,000m race in Birmingham as she clocked a personal best 8:43.02.

Hellen Obiri outsprinted world indoor 1,500m champion Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) in 8:29.41 to claim victory and break the Kenyan record she set recently in Karlsruhe.

“I am so happy to run the qualifying standard and get a personal best because I didn’t feel too good,” said McColgan.

“I was chasing the whole way but I can’t complain. I had a long overnight flight from Kenya just before Sheffield last weekend and even though I was in such good shape I picked up a cold so racing last week brought the illness out of me. So to be able to run that time today is encouraging.

“The 3,000m is my priority at the European Indoors so it is nice to get a good run in here. It is so nice to run an indoor season after four years away.

“This is the first time I am fit and healthy at this point in the year for so long.”

Eilidh Doyle (Pitreavie) found herself off the pace in the 400m as Laviai Nielson, pushing for a place at the European Championships, won in 51.77. Doyle finished fourth in 52.33.

Lasswade’s Guy Learmonth, already assured of his selection for the European Championships in Belgrade, had to settle for fifth place in the 800m but his 1.47.00 was his third indoor personal best of the season.

Andrew Pozzi took the men’s 60m hurdles in 7.43 secs, in a British one-two with David King, while 110m hurdles world record holder Aries Merritt, who had a kidney transplant in 2015, was third.

Richard Kilty was third in the 60m, as he waits to see if he has won a place in the British squad for the European Indoor Championships ahead of selection today.

Birmingham-based Robbie Grabarz, who won London 2012 bronze, finished second in the high jump, behind America’s Erik Kynard, while double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson won the women’s 60m in 6.98.

Eilish McColgan had no complaints after taking fifth place.