The Scotsman

‘Now grab your chance on

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Scotland was already assured of a record number of athletes in next month’s highly-anticipate­d IAAF World Championsh­ips in London but that grew to 13 yesterday – one sixth of the 78-strong Great Britain team.

Following the British trials in Birmingham a week past Sunday, a total of 11 Scots had sealed their place at the championsh­ips which take place at the iconic London Olympic Stadium, starting on 4 August, before Guy Learmonth added his name to the list at the weekend.

The 800m runner had finished second in the trial but was short of the qualifying time until he nailed it at the Anniversar­y Games on Sunday to secure a return to the same track next month. Jake Wightman and Lynsey Sharp, in the men’s 1,500m and women’s 800m respective­ly, both had the times but had been edged out of the top-two qualifying position in the trials and had to wait until yesterday when, as expected, their discretion­ary picks were confirmed.

That would have made the Scottish contingent 14, double the previous bests of seven in 1983 and 2015 but, unfortunat­ely, Robbie Simpson, who had pre-qualified after finishing second-best Brit in this year’s London Marathon, has had to withdraw due to a calf injury.

Neverthele­ss it remains an excellent achievemen­t, building on the remarkable total of 15 Scots who made the British athletics team for last summer’s Rio Olympics.

Scottish Athletics performanc­e director Rodger Harkins said: “We should never be under the impression that selection for a British team at this level comes lightly. It comes after many years of hard work and dedication, sacrifice by athletes and families, and strong commitment, guidance and experience from coaches.

“Looking through those selected, I can see examples of that in each and every one of those 13 Scottish names. I’ve said previously I did have a slight concern that the year after an Olympics

RODGER HARKINS might be a little problemati­c. It can be the case and has been sometimes in the past – essentiall­y we are in the first year in a four-year Olympic cycle.

“But I think the confidence boost from being in Rio, or seeing others in Rio, has inspired our athletes to new levels. The motivation to compete at a ‘home Games’ in London is also very strong. It’s a huge opportunit­y. For them it’s not enough to qualify for the Games – they want to get into finals if they can and prove themselves on the world stage.

“That’s the right attitude and I’d urge them all to be as competitiv­e as they can.”

The Scots are led by Laura Muir, one of the rising stars of British and world athletics, as she targets a 1,500m and 5,000m double.

Thedoublee­uropeanind­oorchampio­n shook off a foot injury to post an 800m personal best at the Lausanne Diamond League last week but was given a sharp reminder of how difficult her task will be when she was beaten by Kenya’s Hellen Obiri in the mile at Sunday’s Anniversar­y Games.

Muir scored another PB but fell short in her bid to break Zola Budd’s 32-year British record over the distance.

Elsewhere, the experience­d European champion Eilidh Doyle goes

“I think the confidence boost from being in Rio, or seeing others in Rio, has inspired our athletics to new levels”

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