Jake so keen to fuel ‘fire inside’ – Jemma fifth in Brussels

Saturday 14th September 2024

Jake Wightman celebrates World Champs gold in 2022 (photo via British Athletics/Getty Images)

BBC Scotland interview 

Jake Wightman ‘could easily have been crushed’ by the injury that ruled him out of the Olympic Games in Paris – but now says the ‘fire inside’  will keep him motivated for Los Angeles 2028.

Since winning the world 1500m title two years ago, the 30-year-old Scot has been blighted by fitness problems.

And, just a few days before he was scheduled to compete in the 800m in Paris, he picked up a hamstring tear during at a pre-games endurance camp in St Moritz.

‘I was literally a couple of days from going into the village,’ Jake told BBC Scotland.

‘I could easily have been crushed by it and not wanted to carry on. But that can’t be how I leave my experience with the Olympic Games.

‘I am hoping to try to push on for one more cycle now, which I feel motivated to go and do rather than be disappointed and downbeat. I need to keep that fire inside, which I am glad is still there.’

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Jemma Reekie pictured at the recent Diamond League meeting in Zurich (photo by Ben Quine for the Diamond League)

Jemma Reekie finished fifth in the Women’s 800m Diamond League final in Brussels.

Mary Moraa won the race to take the title with her best time of the year at 1:56.56 with Georgia Bell taking second place.

Jemma was in the hunt for a top three place but by her own admission faded in the closing stages for finish in fifth place.

‘I ran it the way I wanted to but I just had tired legs towards the end,’ she said.

‘It has not been the season I wanted to have but I am excited about the future.

‘This was the last race and that’s it over. I will go away on holiday now and lie on a beach for a couple of weeks and rest.’

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Tags: Jake Wightman, Jemma Reekie