Muir beginning to find form ahead of Worlds

Dundee Hawkhill Harrier Laura Muir has warned her rivals that she is “pretty close” to 100% – four weeks out from the World Championships in Oregon.

Good news for the British team’s hopes with the Olympic silver medallist comfortably the hot favourite to claim the UK women’s 1,500 metres title in Manchester today after winning her heat last night by a margin of six seconds.

The 28-year-old – pictured – should canter to victory as she prepares for a conveyor belt of opportunities that also includes the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

Following the hip injury that wrecked her winter, the Muir of old is back on track and this is another brick in building her challenge for golds in the week ahead.

She said: “It’s an opportunity for another race, I’ve not raced much in the last year or so. It’s a chance to try out a couple of different things. I’ve not ran the 1,500m here since 2016 so it would be really nice to regain that.

“My training has been going really well, I just wasn’t translating it into races which was frustrating.

“So I think it was a bit of a surprise when I ran well last week but it wasn’t to us. It was just nice to get it on paper. It’s a very mixed bag which is quite exciting.”

Zoey Clark and Nicole Yeargin reached the women’s 400m final while Scottish number one Adam Thomas also safely progressed into the men’s 100m semis. But Pitreavie’s new Scottish record holder Jack Lawrie was stranded one place outside the final spots in the 400m hurdles.

Dina Asher-smith eased into today’s 100m semi-finals after starting her countdown to the World Championships.

The world 200m champion, who will defend her title in Eugene next month, ran 11.16 seconds in the first round of the 100m as she looks to book another slot on the British team.

Asher-smith is joined by Daryll Neita in the semi-finals after she ran 11.04 seconds to win heat three.

Keely Hodgkinson finished second in her 400m heat in 52.90 seconds, behind Victoria Ohuruogu, to progress as the 20-year-old uses the distance to build her speed for the 800m ahead of the World Championships.