Eilish 10th as Laura makes final; Men’s 1500m trio all progress, too

Sunday 17th July 2022

Photo via British Athletics Twitter

Eilish McColgan expressed her disappointment after a tenth place finish in the World Champs in the Women’s 10,000m final.

The Scot had harboured ambitions to be more in contention butt the main pack pulled away from her in mid-race before she came home in 30:34.60 just ahead of British team-mate, Jess Judd (who clocked a big PB).

Eilish of course missed the GB and NI trials with illness a few weeks ago and a hamstring niggle was another pre-race concern.

‘I’m obviously disappointed to come tenth again,’ said Eilish, with the race won by Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey in 30:09.94.

‘I think this is the fourth time I’ve placed tenth at a World Champs and I’m getting better every year, I’m getting faster every year and I’m running PBs every year but it’s still not where I want to be.

‘To be honest I wasn’t sure I would make the start line, I’ve had a bit of illness and about fuve days ago I did something to my hamstring.

‘I suppose mentally it’s tough, to have such a cracking year then the last three weeks turn sour. It was better than I actually thought it would be but I’ve probably just spent the last five days panicking leading into it and I felt just a little bit switched off..

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Job done for @lauramuiruns ?

4:01.78 SB sees Laura to second in a spicy 1500m semi-final.

Monday will be her fourth World Championship final. #WhereItStarts #WorldAthleticsChamps #WCHOregon22 pic.twitter.com/EorOIKRdgC

— British Athletics (@BritAthletics) July 17, 2022

Laura Muir came up with a strong performance for second place in her semi-final to reach the Women’s 1500m final with GB and NI in Oregon.

It was a Season’s best 4:01.78 smooth run from Laura with her medal bid due to happen in the early hours of Tuesday (our time) in what will be her fourth Worlds final at the 1500m distance (having also run 5000m at London 2017).

‘Considering that’s the fastest I’ve run all year, I’m feeling pretty good,’ said Laura.

‘Yeah really happy with that. I didn’t think that was 4.01, it felt easier than that so that’s a really good sign.

‘It’s nuts, I think this is my firth World Champs and my fifth world final. I made two in 2017. So yes I’m getting – I don’t know if I’d say ‘old’ but ‘experienced’, but hopefully fifth time lucky for getting on that podium as I’ve not yet won a medal at the Worlds (outdoors).’

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Three Scots make up the Men’s team for GB and NI in Oregon for the 1500m, of course, and there was safe passage for all from the heat.

Neil Gourley made it in sixth place in the opening race, the last slot for automatic progression. Neil left it late on the home straight to go through in 3:36.54 and the Glaswegian revealed he’s been suffering from Covid earlier in the week.

‘I only had a negative test yesterday so it is great to get through and there are no red flags,’ said Neil.

Jake Wightman was next in action in a second heat that included Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen. The British champion made the right moves throughout to cruise home in fourth place in 3:35.31.

And Josh Kerr went to the front of the final heat early on after being unhappy with the early pace and then dominated to come home in first.

‘It wasn’t exactly the plan but sometimes you need to adjust and I’ve done some pretty silly things in early rounds in the past and wanted to make sure it was more comfortable this time,’ said Josh.

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Zoey Clark had been the first Scot in action, on Friday evening (our time).

Zoey was on the second leg for the GB and NI team in the 4x400m Mixed Relay opening heat – but unfortunately the team finished sixth and failed to make the final.

The Aberdeen AAC athlete had a split of 51.49 seconds and will now look towards the Women’s 4x400m event late in the Oregon programme.

‘I am looking forward to that, the Mixed is obviously a relatively new thing and it’s really exciting but the women’s relay has a special place in my heart,’ said Zoey.

‘We’ve had a really good history with it and I’m so looking forward to lining up with the rest of the squad.’

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Tags: Eilish McColgan, Jake Wightman, Josh Kerr, Laura Muir, Neil Gourley, Oregon 2022, Zoey Clark