Eilish and Jemma make progress but Andy, Nicole miss out

Friday 22nd July 2022

Photos from British Athletics/Getty Images

Eilish McColgan progressed to the Women’s 5000 final with a sub 15-minute run required to do so in Oregon.

McColgan and here British team-mate, Jess Judd, supported each other as both made their second final in Oregon.

McColgan led the second of two heats for a portion of the race before Judd took over with two laps to go. The pace upped after the bell and the British pair lost touch with that lead group however they didn’t let that mark the end of their final bid – both digging deep.

Eilish would overtake Judd as the line drew closer, clocking a season’s best 14:56.47 for seventh in the second heat, while her British teammate was a place behind in 14:57.64 – both progressing to the final as non-automatic qualifiers.

‘I’ve had a bumpy ride to get to this champs,’ said McColgan.

‘I feel my fitness is there but I’m not sharp at all. I’ve missed so many races – usually I would have done a couple of 1500m races in the States early in the year but I couldn’t do them due to Covid and then I got laryngitis.

‘I feel like I’m not turning the way I would like. I know I can run a strong pace so I knew I had to take that out in sub 15. I knew sit and kick wasn’t going to cut it.

‘It’s not where I want to be but it is where we are at. But I’m proud to have made the final.’

In the Men’s 5000m heats, Andy Butchart raced in the first of two heats and clocked Season Best run of 13:31.26 in ninth place. But it proved not quite enough.

‘The biggest thing is going in heat one,’ he said.

‘You know it’s top five and next five fastest, so the second heat has such a huge advantage. Usually I’m in the second heat, but I can’t complain, it is what it is.

‘It may not show it today but I am in really good shape. I’ve had some great sessions recently. So I’m on an upward trajectory, and I’m raring to race.’

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Jemma Reekie opened up her bid for a final place in the Women’s 800m with a strong run in the first heat.

Jemma took second place in 1:59.09 and was to be joined in the semis by three more British athletes with progress also for Ellie Baker, Keely Hodgkinson and Alex Bell.

‘I felt really good and I felt strong,’ said Jemma, fourth at the Olympics last year.

‘I’m excited to take that on to the semi-final and hopefully do the same again and get myself to the final on Sunday.

‘I felt really confident in myself and strong and relaxed. That’s what I have needed all season, to go out there and feel myself and today I went out and felt really good.

‘I’ve been waiting patiently all week to get started and I’m excited I’m on my way now.’

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Nicole Yeargin finished fourth in her Women’s 400m semi-final but missed out on the final.

The American-based Scot clocked 51.22 in the second of her three races.

‘I tried to get out not as hard this time,’ said Nicole.

‘I think I killed myself on that. That’s really it. Just not going off hard enough. I tried to save a little bit for the end this time, but I saved too much.’