Neil places ninth in Men’s 1500m final at European Champs in Italy

Wednesday 12th June 2024

Photo by James Rhodes (after heat win on Monday)

Neil Gourley had to settle for ninth place in the Men’s 1500m final in Rome.

The Giffnock North AC athlete was the last of the five-strong Scottish cohort to compete for GB and NI at the European Champs.

It was the Jakob Ingebrigtsen show once again at the front of the race as the Norwegian completed a hatt-trick of gold medal doubles over 5000m/1500m at the same European Champs.

Neil for his part put himself in positions for much of the race and was just on Jakob’s should at the bell and still in second place with around 100m remaining.

But his recent lack of racing as he recovered from injury seemed to pay a heavy price on the home straight as he came home in 3:34.11.

So now the Glaswegian must pick himself up and be ready for the British Trials and the battle for Paris selection places in the Men’s 1500m.

‘Tough race . . . it felt tough from the start, which is odd,’ said Neil.

‘It was a complete contrast to Monday’s race I’m not quite sure why there could be a bunch of factors, but I don’t want to make excuses.

‘I just didn’t feel great today and that’s all there was to it, I didn’t have a gear in the last 100 metres. It wasn’t that fast.

‘I felt tactically I got it right. I put myself in positions. But it doesn’t matter if you are where you want to be if you don’t have some ‘pop‘ to capitalise on.

‘I will do some sharpening work and I am still behind others in terms of the work that I’ve done. And then will get ready for Trials because it is not going to be an easy team to make (for Paris) – that is for sure.’

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Tags: European Champs, Neil Gourley, Rome