Off and running! Nicole British Record in Mixed Relay; trio reach semis

Friday 2nd August 2024

Photos by Getty Images for British Athletics 

Paris 2024 Results

Jemma Reekie cruised to victory and Nicole Yeargin landed a share of a British Record in the Mixed Relay 4x400m on a strong opening day for the Scots in Paris.

Josh Kerr and Neil Gourley had earlier safely negotiated their opening heats in the Men’s 1500m and will race again on Sunday in the semis.

So, too, will Jemma who dominated her heat one race in the Stade de France as she wore the Team GB colours at her second Olympics.

A time of 2:00.00 saw her clear of the field with only the top three assured of progress with the new repechage ‘second chance’ system for the others.

‘It felt good, I’m in good shape,’ said Jemma.

‘I focused on just staying in control and get it done. Having London, coming in at number two, I’m back where I belong – I’m back chasing those medals.

‘I know the semis will be hard, but I’m going to go out and do it again.’

Jemma’s fellow Brits, 17-year-old Phoebe Gill and event favourite Keely Hodgkinson both qualified for the semi with the teenager third in her heat and Keely taking the win.

Nicole, the Pitreavie AAC athlete whose mum hails from Dunfermline, was well set-up by her team-mates with Sam Reardon leading off; Laviai Nielsen on the second leg and Alex Haydock-Wilson handing over after the third leg.

‘They did the job so I just had to go,’ said Nicole, as thie quartet broke the British Record in this developing event.

‘I couldn’t see anyone on the backstretch, so I was just running for my life. I couldn’t hear anyone as it was so loud.

‘I felt like I was cruising on the second bend, but I could see her coming, so it was all about holding it and bringing the team home for the win and a British Record.’

The United States set a new World Record for the Mixed Relay 4x400m in the opening heat at 3:07.41.

Earlier on Friday, Josh Kerr and Neil Gourley successfully opened their Paris 2024 campaigns in the Men’s 1500m.

Josh was first up in the opening heat and after displaying great patience and keeping out of trouble towards the back of the field, he advanced after the bell and led the race home for the victory in 3:35.83.

The stacked nature of the Men’s 1500m event was emphasised in heat two as a number of well-known names missed the top six automatic qualifying and were put into Saturday’s repechage round. Team GB’s George Mills was one of those in 10^th place.

There was no such issue for Neil, thankfully, as the Scot ran a controlled race to claim fifth place and qualify for the semi-finals on Sunday with 3:37.18.

‘The goal here was just to stay relaxed and be confident in my fitness and I think I did that today,’ said Josh.

‘Everyone gets anxious in these first rounds because of all the build-up, the hype and it’s a big stadium with lots of people.

So I just made sure I stayed relaxed and when it was time to go, I put the burners on  . . .  maybe a little bit too hard.

‘I thought everyone was going to be battling with me. But I felt exactly how I thought I would, and it was a reassuring thing.’

Neil felt good, too.

‘I didn’t take it all in until after the race to be honest,’ he said after his first experience of the vast Stage de France.

‘I had a wee look up and to see 80,000 people in the seats for a morning session of athletics was incredible.

‘Physically I am in the best spot I’ve ever been in. The last few worlds I have gone in carrying something. So it is the first time I’ve come in with a clean bill of health.

‘That’s based on the work I’ve done in training – which doesn’t mean everything – but it’s a strong positive indicator.’

Tags: Jemma Reekie, Josh Kerr, Neil Gourley, Nicole Yeargin, Paris, Paris 2024