Indomitable Muir strikes Euro gold for second time
● Sevens months after Rio despair the Scot is the toast of Belgrade as she completes glorious double
In the hour that followed the conclusion of her Olympic final in Rio, Laura Muir wept tears of disappointment and was consumed by the angst of wondering just when talent and speed might bring its presumed reward.
The inquest was mercifully brief. Motivation, not misery, ensued. And now, barely seven months later, the 23-year-old is a twice-major champion, twice a European record holder with three British marks to boot. The only debate is how much more is yet to come.
After securing the breakthrough she had long sought with 1,500 metres gold at the European Indoor Championships on Saturday, Muir returned yesterday and proved herself indomitable once more, pushing imperviously through fatigue to bolt towards the 3,000m title in a championship record of 8:35.68, completing a glorious double that underlines her entry into the sport’s A-list.
Although the first instalment erased another of Kelly Holmes’ UK records, the second part was arguably more impressive with the Scot methodically tracking Kenyan-born Turk Yasemin Can before accelerating away on the penultimate lap.
“Halfway through the race I was thinking I’m feeling a bit tired, and I was hoping she wasn’t going to ramp it up anymore,” Muir acknowledged. “I managed to hang in there and knew I had the kick so I just waited until 300 to go and then I went for it.”
Unlike 24 hours before, there were no officials attempting to deny her a lap of honour. “I gave her a look and she let me go,” she said with a smile. It all spoke volumes for her confidence. And for the feelgood factor enveloping Scottish athletics at present which was dialled up a little further with Eilish Mccolgan producing a late burst to take third with Steph Twell coming fifth. It was a first international med- al for the Dundonian who was on crutches barely a year ago but is now truly coming of age.
“I’ve been to two Olympics, a world champs and a European outdoors but to come away with a medal is a breakthrough for me,” Mccolgan said.
“Confidence-wise, it’s a huge boost. Training had been going so well. I know all eyes were on Laura but I was ranked third. Knowing that medal is there is great but getting it is a huge step forward for me. I couldn’t have done any more here.”
It may be her misfortune to have arrived in the era of her compatriot, she admitted. With the indoor season complete, all three Scots will now turn their attentions to this summer’s world championships in London but only one will shoulder the burden of the highest of home hopes. So be it.
“You can’t go winning medals and breaking records and not go raising expectations,” Muir added. “I’ll take it all in my stride. I take it as support not pressure and I’ve shown I can deal with it.”
Muir will now have a brace of titles to defend when this event is next staged at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena in two years’ time and she was among a haul of ten British medals secured over three days in the Serbian capital, including further golds for Richard Kilty and Asha Philip, pictured, in the 60m and Andy Pozzi in the 60m hurdles.
Lorraine Ugen delivered a British record of 6.97 metres in the long jump to earn silver as Serb favourite Iva Spanovic took the most popular gold of these championships.
A world indoor medallist in Portland last year, Londoner Ugen is fast becoming one for the big occasion.
“I knew I had to do something more than I’ve done before, so it is nice to come away with a British record and a silver medal,” she said. “But there’s definitely more in the tank, I think I can get over that seven-metre mark. Just staying confident and healthy, I know I can produce some bigger jumps outdoors.” Shelayna Oskan-clarke landed silver in the 800m with a personal best of 2:00.39 that saw her separated from Switzerland’s Selina Buchel by onehundredth of a second, while Robbie Grabarz took high jump silver, with Scottish challenger Allan Smith coming eighth in his first major final. “It was good experience,” he said. “Now I just need to progress.”
LEVEL HEADED “You can’t go winning medals and breaking records and not go raising expectations. I’ll take it all in my stride. I take it as support not pressure and I’ve shown I can deal with it”
LAURA MUIR