The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Muir sets her sights on World and Olympic glory
Kinross-shire runner looks to Tokyo 2020
Laura Muir has her sights set on World and Olympic glory after claiming her first major outdoor title.
The Kinross-shire middle distance runner blew away the field in the 1,500m for her European Championship triumph in Berlin on Sunday night.
Now the Dundee Hawkhill Harrier, who had previously won gold indoors at 1,500m and 3,000m, is looking to make her mark at the World Championships in Doha next year and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
She said: “I’ve proved on a European level that I’m one of the best and one of the best in the world.
“Now it’s world’s outdoors and Olympics. That’s the next step. But I’m excited for the next few years.”
Dina Asher-Smith is another GB track star focused on the future after her European Championship success.
The 22-year-old created history in Berlin after claiming the 100m, 200m and 4x100m titles. No British athlete had ever won all three at a major championships before she wrapped up a stunning week with a relay win.
Asher-Smith capped a successful championships for Great Britain who finished top of the medal table.
She said: “I’m happy but it’s all about moving to Tokyo. You’ve got to use it and push yourself on to a platform for Doha and Tokyo and beyond.
“The British athletes have had the Commonwealths and Europeans this year, so we’ve had to peak.
“Half the American people aren’t even running. While it’s great for me this year it doesn’t forecast how the next two years are going to go.”
Great Britain’s performance at the championships in Berlin was one of their best in the history of the competition. The team finished with 18 medals –seven golds, five silvers and six bronzes – and topped the medal table for only the fourth time in 24 championships dating back to 1934.
Using the number of golds as the chief determining factor, the other occasions when Britain finished at the summit were 1950 in Brussels, 1998 in Budapest and 2014 in Zurich.
The latter was Britain’s most successful showing in the event as they claimed 23 medals in total in Austria, including a best-ever 12 golds.
A 5,000m and 10,000m track double for Sir Mo Farah and sprint golds for Jason Dasaolu and Adam Gemili in the 100m and 200m were among the highlights.
There were also sprint relay successes for men and women, Jo Pavey won a 10,000m gold and Greg Rutherford reprised his 2012 Olympic long jump triumph.
Great Britain also recorded five silvers and six bronzes in 2014.
Britain’s tally in 1950 was 17 medals, the same as the Soviet Union, but their eight golds bettered their rivals by two.
In 1998 the overall total was only 16, seven fewer than Germany, but their nine golds was a competition best.
The 1950 mark remained Britain’s best showing until Split in 1990, when the team took 18 medals including nine golds.
Another impressive return came in 2010 when the team picked up 20 medals in Barcelona.
This overall tally is second only to the 23 of four years ago but, with just six of them being gold, they were only third in the medal table.
Farah also led the way in that team, again taking gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m, while Jessica Ennis-Hill triumphed in the heptathlon. Phillips Idowu also won the triple jump, with Dai Greene taking the 400m hurdles title and Andy Turner crowned 110m hurdles champion.
The 2018 performance eclipses that of two years ago in Amsterdam, when the team claimed 16 medals including five golds.
Asher-Smith won the 200m while Rutherford was again among the golds.
The worst showing of recent times came in Helsinki in 2012 when just seven medals were secured, although four of them were still golds, enough for fifth in the medal table.
Farah won the 5,000m once more, with further track wins for Rhys Williams (400m hurdles) and Lynsey Sharp (800m), while Robbie Grabarz won the high jump.