Gourley keeps cool to reach semis
NEIL GOURLEY had to tell himself not to push the panic button before squeezing into tonight’s 1500 metres semis at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
The Glaswegian, 28, was in huge danger of crashing out when his path was blocked in his opening heat last night.
But he kept calm — and somehow found a clear path on the home straight to finish third in 3:46.87 to move safely onward.
And the European indoor medallist (right) said: ‘I didn’t feel dead in the water. I felt like I had nowhere to go. It was just a case of finding a gap. The worst thing you can do at that point is panic and sprint to the outside. But I had to just be patient and I’m thankful that gap did open up.’
Fellow Scot Josh Kerr plotted a safer route through by qualifying second-quickest in finishing runner-up to title favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen in his heat in 3:34.00.
The Olympic bronze medallist matched the Norwegian before easing up on the line.
After a disastrous 2022, the 25-year-old looks capable of gunning for a medal here on Wednesday.
Kerr said: ‘My positioning was superior throughout the race against any of the other runners who have been around for a long time. And that’s just shows confidence from training and not missing any through injury or illness.’
And like Gourley, Kerr wants to keep the world title in Scotland and pull off a repeat of Jake Wightman’s smash-and-grab over Ingebrigtsen in Oregon 12 months ago.
He said: ‘We knew that Jakob wasn’t unbeatable. But the way Jake beat him was something to take into account. But it’s really just going to take being able to be with him with 200 to go and then having a lot left. It’s as simple as that, but it’s a lot easier said than done.’
Laura Muir gave her rivals a whistle-stop tour of Budapest and then took a direct route into tonight’s women’s 1500 metres semi-finals.
With the start of the showpiece delayed by a monsoon, the 2022 bronze medallist played it safe by advancing in second place in her opening heat behind Dutch rival Sifan Hassan in 4:03.50.
‘I just wanted to qualify with as least drama as possible and I did it that,’ the Scot underlined.
She’ll be joined in the next round by GB team-mates Melissa Courtney and Katie Snowden, with world record holder Faith Kipyegon looming large.
But the highlight, admitted Muir, was the ride across the Danube to this magnificent new 36,000-capacity stadium where she brought her local knowledge to bear.
She said: ‘I think the rest of the girls went a bit crackers when I was giving them a little guided tour.’