Scotlands Laura Muir targets summer treble after 1500m Commonwealth Games glory

The 29 year old took gold on the final night of athletics at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

Laura Muir stormed to 1500m gold on Sunday evening to collect her second medal of the Commonwealth Games and immediately targeted a summer treble.

The 29-year-old Scot, who secured her first ever Commonwealth medal on Saturday with 800m bronze after an appeal over the photo finish from Jamaica was rejected, decimated the field on the final day of athletics at the Alexander Stadium.

She crossed the line in four minutes 02.75 seconds, ahead of Northern Ireland’s Ciara Mageean and Australia’s Abbey Caldwell, and swiftly turned her focus to the European Championships in Munich later this month.

“Oh my God, the 1500m-800m double,” said Muir, who picked up 1500m bronze at the World Championships in Eugene last month. “Two down, one to go. I came into this year wanting to run at all three and medal at all three. I have done two out of three so far.

“I cannot thank everyone enough for the support, all my friends and family, my coach, my physio. Everybody has just been amazing, I couldn’t have wished for a better support crew.”

She continued: “I think I would have said to the Laura Muir of 2014, ‘Your time will come’ (after finishing 11th at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games).

“It’s rotten at the time but you learn from it and you come back stronger. This meant a lot to me – missing the Gold Coast (in 2018) as well, it’s been bugging me for eight years.

“It is so nice to come here and not just get one medal but two and in such a competitive field. Those girls are fast. It means a lot.”

Scotland team-mate Eilish McColgan claimed silver in the women’s 5,000m – adding to her 10,000m title – while England’s Ben Pattison was third in the men’s 800m.

Victoria Ohuruogu, Jodie Williams, Ama Pipi and Jessie Knight were stripped of 4x400m relay gold after being disqualified following their win in the final event.

Williams and Ohuruogu stepped out of their lane during the handover for the second leg, meaning Canada took the victory with Jamaica second and Scotland were promoted to bronze.

England did not appeal after reviewing the footage, accepting it would not have any grounds.

In the morning session, England’s Matt Hudson-Smith lost out on gold as Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga stunned the 400m favourite.

The 27-year-old – on his home track – had to settle for silver as Samukonga made a late break in the final 50m to go from fifth to first.

He ran 44.66secs, with British record holder Hudson-Smith crossing the line in 44.81.

He said: “I made a commitment to go hard in the first 200m. I tired up around the back. You live and you learn. You’ve just got to push on. I still got a silver medal.

“If you asked people a year ago if I would do this (winning Commonwealth and world medals), I would have said no. It is going in the right direction but there is a lot of work to be done. Stoke the fire and got to keep pushing.

“I’ve never heard of him (Samukonga). At least I took a bit out of him.”

Hudson-Smith at least adds to the world bronze he won in Eugene, but it continues his Commonwealth Games frustration after he was disqualified in 2018 for running out of his lane.

The 27-year-old will now look to defend the European title he won in 2018 when he runs in Munich later this month.

In the women’s race, Ohuruogu took silver with England team-mate Jodie Williams clinching bronze, both behind Barbados’ Sada Williams.

England’s 4x100m women’s relay squad of Asha Philip, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Bianca Williams and Daryll Neita took silver behind Nigeria.

In the men’s race Jona Efoloko, Zharnel Hughes, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake and Ojie Edoburun took gold, defending the title from 2018, in 38.35ses ahead of Trinidad and Tobago and Nigeria.

Cindy Sember won bronze in the women’s 100m hurdles with world champion and world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria taking the title in a Games record of 12.30secs.

Published: 08/08/2022 by Radio NewsHub

---