Double gold for Laura at European Indoor Championships
This weekend saw runbritain ladder leader, Laura Muir (handicap -3.3) claim her first two senior titles with championship records at the European Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
Yesterday, less than 24 hours after claiming her first senior title in the 1500m – in a championship record time – middle distance specialist Muir sealed a memorable European Indoor double with a scintillating victory over 3000m.
In the 1500m, she left the field in her wake as she sprinted away to the line, smashing both the championship record and Dame Kelly Holmes’ 14 year-old British record (4:02.66) as she clocked 4:02.39 for gold.
Of her first senior medal – a gold one at that – Muir said: “To get that medal – I’m so happy. I was actually quite relaxed because I knew what I had to do and I knew that I was stronger than a lot of the girls – I knew that if I got out pretty early then I’d be fine. I didn’t expect someone to be on my shoulder with 300m to go, but I just put the welly in and managed to come away with the win.”
After navigating her earlier round in magnificent style to progress to the final, Muir’s compatriot Sarah McDonald (handicap -1.4) finished sixth in 4:13.67, with the Birchfield Harrier leaving everything out on the track.
The 3000m largely followed the narrative of the 1500m final, with Muir sprinting away from Turkey’s Yasemin Can in stunning fashion with 300m to go, stopping the clock in another championship record time of 8:35.67.
After being crowned double champion said: “I’m happy with the race but I was feeling a bit tired. I was thinking ‘I hope she doesn't ramp it up anymore’ and I managed to hang in there - I knew I'd have the kick and I just went.
“I think before I had the training, but not the confidence. Now the confidence is there it shows as much in my performance. I'm just delighted to come away with the win and do the double. It was great to do so many races back to back - it shows our recovery methods are working so it's looking promising for the double in London.”
In the same race, Muir’s clubmate, Eilish McColgan (handicap -2.4) produced an inspired last 200m to drive her way past Holland’s Maureen Koster for bronze – also her first senior medal. After also being in contention for bronze throughout the race, Steph Twell (handicap -2.0) was forced to settle for fifth place in 8:50.40.
Commenting on both adjusting to indoor racing and her bronze medal, McColgan said: “It's new for me, indoors - because I’m so tall I have a backswing and I clip quite a lot of people.
“I'm so chuffed. Bronze was what was realistic today, and it's what I've come out with.”
In a thrilling finish in the women’s 800m, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (handicap -1.8) claimed silver in a photo-finish behind defending champion Selina Buchel. After sitting on the shoulder of the Swiss from the gun, Oskan-Clarke went for gold on the outside with 200m to go, with her resulting finishing time of 2:00.39 a huge indoor PB and just one hundredth off Buchel.
Reflecting on her first senior medal, she said: “The Swiss girl was sneaky, so I had to hold her off, then I was trying to be sneaky and she held me off.
“I probably wasn’t sneaky enough as I went closer to the bend, and I probably should have done it on the straight or just waited. But I was brave and I committed and I got a silver - it was close to a gold, but not enough.”