Jemma and Laura 1-2 over 800m and Eilish lands 1500m standard, too

Monday 10th May 2021

Photo by Chris Cooper (in 2020)

The USATF Golden Games in the Continental World Tour was billed as the biggest meet of the season so far – and Jemma Reekie and Laura Muir lived up to the label in a terrific 800m showdown.

Jemma took the win with a new outdoor PB of 1:58.27 as Laura closed in for second place with 1:58.46 for a superb Scottish 1-2 for the duo and coach Andy Young.

It was a stacked field, too, with top American and Canadian opposition with those runs landing Olympic qualifying marks for Jemma and Laura.

Canadian athlete Melissa Bishop-Nriagu was pushed back into third in 1:58.62 by Laura’s strong finish in a race which also saw an Olympic qualifying time for GB’s Adelle Tracey at 1.59.50 in fourth place.

BBC Sport website coverage

Eilish McColgan took fourth with a strong 1500m run at 4:03.89 – to again land an Olympic qualifying mark.

Josh Kerr was fifth in the men’s 800m in 1:45.74 with that run inside the qualifying standard asked for by Team Scotland for Birmingham 2022. Guy Learmonth eighth in 1:46.85.

There was another Commonwealth Games standard to come for a Scot, as Steph Twell returned to track action in the Women’s 5000m. Steph, selected for the Olympics in the marathon, clocked 15:36.07 to take seventh place. Jess Judd was fourth in 15:06.02 to land an Olympic standard.

MEDIA COVERAGE
Visibility vital for our sport @JemmaReekie @lauramuiruns top @BBCSportScot agenda right at moment (merited !) after 1:58 800m runs in America#SALachieve
Thanks @scottmullen87 @richardwinton @Kheredine2018 👍@sweirz @jaydeemorgan @SusanEgelstaff @Womeninsport_uk pic.twitter.com/KOut8Pbjtg

— scottishathletics (@scotathletics) May 10, 2021

@EilishMccolgan exhibiting terrific range by clocking 4:03.89 for 1500m just 10 weeks after her sub 31 for 10000m. Euro indoor silver medalist @HollyAArcher7 improves her best to 4:08.81-

— Ian Hodge (@IanHodge7) May 9, 2021