Doha 3,000 marks new era for Scot Butchart

ATHLETICS: Dunblane distance runner set for first Diamond race on foreign shores

Dunblane athlete Andrew Butchart begins his outdoor season against a world-class field at tonight’s Diamond League opener in Doha.

The Central AC runner, who finished sixth in last summer’s Olympic 5,000m, has wintered well.

In only his third ever indoor race, Butchart broke the Scottish 3,000m record when finishing runner-up at the Indoor Grand Prix in Boston in January.

He then dominated over one mile in New York, clocking 3:54.23 to move to third on the UK indoor all-time rankings in his first ever indoor race over the distance.

His indoor season came to a close in New York with a time of 8:12.63 for two miles, putting him second all-time in the British rankings and breaking the Scottish best.

In that race Butchart was timed at 7:41.05 for 3,000m, breaking his own Scottish record and moving him to second on the UK indoor all-time list.

With his sights set firmly on August’s London World Championships, Butchart will contest the 3,000m in Doha – his first ever Diamond race abroad having only previously contested events on UK soil.

“The Diamond League is the biggest league competition in athletics. It’s sort of the ‘big time’ as people would call it, and I want to be a part of that scene and I want to prove that I can win at that scene too,” the Scot said.

“I’ve not run many Diamond League races but I contested two last year – the one in Birmingham I was fourth and then the one in London I was second.

“So I’ve proved that at the UK ones I can perform well but I’ve not run one abroad yet so I want to go to one abroad and perform as best I can.”

But ultimately this year all roads, or tracks, lead to London.

“Honestly, I’m proper buzzing for it,” Butchart says of the World Championships. “It’s going to be such a good event. I think the home support is going to bring so much more to the table for the British athletes.”

Kenyan’s Olympic gold medallist Conseslus Kipruto heads the 3,000m in Doha tonight.

Andy Butchart will get his outdoor season under way in Doha.