MUIR KEEPS IT SLOW KEY
ATHLETICS EUROPEAN INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS Scot reaches two finals still holding a bit back
LAURA MUIR is ready to hit top gear at the European Indoor Championships after booking a shot at a golden double by going slow.
With four races in 47 hours in her Belgrade diary, the Scot revealed her main mission was to save energy as she advanced from yesterday’s 3000metres semis into tomorrow’s final as the fastest loser.
Then after a quick nap back at the British team hotel, the 23-year-old took it easy in the 1500m heats until the last lap before stepping up a gear and booking a crack at her first major title this evening.
Muir said: “You just want to conserve as much as you can ahead of the finals.
“I knew the home athletes almost always seem to pull it out of the bag so I had to keep an eye on the Serbian girl in second. But job done.
“You always want to win a race but you just have to be sensible and do what’s necessary to make sure you’re in the best shape when you get to the final. That’s what’s important.”
Now in-form Muir, with two Euro records already in 2017, will be red-hot favourite to leave Serbia with two golds in her luggage and get the breakthrough she deserves.
Two tough training trips to South Africa this winter have all been geared towards ensuring she has enough in the tank to push past any fatigue and fight on both fronts.
Older and wiser after past disappointments, all paths point to glory for the trainee vet who has been in absolutely cracking form during the indoor campaign.
But Muir said: “It’s hard to tell because I’m running more than everyone else so they’ll be fresher than I’ll be.
“But I know I’m very strong so I’m just going to bring my A game and hopefully that’s enough.”
Muir will be joined in the 1500m final by England’s Sarah McDonald and Northern Irish ace Ciara Mageean. And there’s a chance of a Scottish sweep in the 3000m with Eilish McColgan and Steph Twell also cruising through by coming second in their semis. McColgan, who recovered from a virus in the build-up, said: “Laura’s run 8:26. She’s a world apart. But people have off days.
“She’s not a robot. But she is almost super-human. You never know though about the other athletes.
“The main thing is to get stuck into the race. Bronze is realistically up for grabs.
“Gold is well and truly gone. But there’s no reason why silver and bronze aren’t there if you get the tactics right.”
An emotional Eilidh Doyle was left devastated after she crashed out in the 400m semis as she slipped from first to third at the death.
And the Olympic medallist, who will now hope for a medal in tomorrow’s 4x400 relay, said: “I knew I had a chance. I was just as good as anybody else.
“So to go out and not make the final is gutting.”