World Indoors looms – 27 months after Glasgow was named host city

Thursday 29th February 2024

Glasgw announced as World Indoor venue (our story in December 2021)

By Peter Jardine

The calendar page had just turned to December when Glasgow was announced as the venue for the 2024 World Indoors back in 2021.

A first global athletics championships was to come to Scotland – with the European Indoors having previously been staged at the Kelvin Hall and the Emirates Arena.

And, while the early sense of anticipation was high all those 27 months ago, it is nothing compared to the fever pitch excitement across our community this week.

There are primarily three reasons for that: Josh Kerr, Laura Muir and Jemma Reekie.

Our trio of top Scots will compete for GB and NI in front of a packed Scottish audience at the Emirates and there’s enough compelling evidence to suggest all three are bona fide medal contenders in their events.

Laura and Jemma won British titles and Josh set a World Best for two miles – and the World champion at 1500m will contest the 3000m this weekend.

To think back to December 2021: at that time Scotland’s last World Champion outdoors had been Liz McColgan some 30 years earlier.

Jake Wightman in 2022 and then Josh himself shattered that particular glass ceiling – and Laura for her part has been on the World Champs podium (in Oregon 2022) and won another European Indoor title in 2023.

Adding another layer of pathos, Laura and Jemma have ‘lost count’ of the number of laps they completed in training reps at the Emirates Arena, albeit the venue has now been renovated. The tally must run to thousands.

If familiarity is home advantage then they may have an edge, although of course sport doesn’t always work that way.

Schedule for three Scots

Photo by Jeff Holmes

Glasgow ready to host World Indoors

‘It is very special for me to be there; at the first global champs Scotland has hosted,’ said Laura this week.

‘I am very excited to see what I can do in Glasgow and it is a big stepping stone on the road to Paris.

‘I take the pressure as an indicator of my success and try and use it to my advantage. I am very privileged to be in this position.

‘The new training group and new programme has been challenging after 12 years but it is going really well.’

Josh, of course, will line up in the Men’s 3000m – also on Saturday night.

‘I haven’t run in front of Scottish fans for a very long time and I don’t think I’ve done myself justice in front of the British crowd in a long time as well,’ said Josh, 12th in the Commonwealth Games final in Birmingham two years ago.

‘It feels like we are coming full circle from 2017, when I was knocked out in the first round (at the World Champs in London).

‘I am ready to show off that new-found fitness in front of the British fans and hopefully inspire the next generation a little bit.

‘I am going in with a plan and I believe if I execute it the way I hope, I will come away with gold.’

Jemma in a good place ahead of Glasgow homecoming