Neil has point to prove
Eugene styles itself as Track Town USA. The small town in Oregon hosts the World Athletics Championships this week and is rolling out the a l l - Amer ican hospitality.
But Neil Gourley recalls being run out of town last winter by the company that all but owns the place. And it has left the Scots star with a massive point to prove when he lines up in the men’s 1500 metres next Friday.
The 27- year- old is one third of the Tartan Trio in the event alongside Olympic bronze medallist Josh Kerr and UK champion Jake Wightman.
But while they’ve been backed to the hilt, Gourley had to pack up, regroup and re-start after missing Tokyo 2020 following an injury.
Nike, who bankroll the global jamboree, axed his sponsorship deal and locked him out of their Oregon base. UK Athletics dumped him off funding. It was enough to KO anyone’s self-belief.
But the Glaswegian’s confident he can score a medal following from a
string of personal bests that he hopes wi l l raise two friendly fingers to doubters who wrote him off – just two years after reaching the final of the last worlds in Doha.
He said: “I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t feel a little bit hard done by. And that I didn’t have something to prove this year. Because it wasn’t nice been being dropped by my sponsor and by UK Athletics.
“I get that it’s part of the sport. The timing of my injury meant that I couldn’t qualify for the Olympics. That’s what held me back.
“But at the same time I didn’t become any less of an athlete. In fact, I felt like I had gotten better as an athlete. I just didn’t get the shot last year.
“So I’m glad that this year I do get to show it and prove that I am not just as good as I was back in 2019 but I’m even better.”
Gourley is among 11 Scots who have already jetted Stateside with the British team including Laura Muir who is looking to build on her Olympic silver medal in the women’s 1500m.