Laura Muir is a double world indoor medalist after a stellar run to win 1500m silver at the IAAF World Indoor Championships on Saturday night (March 3).
Now leaving Birmingham with two world indoor medals, Laura Muir’s £1,500 taxi ride down from Scotland seems like very good value indeed.
Muir, who won bronze on Wednesday night in the 3000m, was back on the start line with gold and silver medalists Genzebe Dibaba and Sifan Hassan, the latter the defending 1500m champion.
After being denied a silver by Hassan, with many viewing Muir to have been impeded, the double European indoor gold medalist had the perfect opportunity for an alternative ending in the shorter distance in the Arena Birmingham.
With the field of 10 starting out at a slow pace Ethiopia’s Dibaba moved to the front to inject some pace and went through 600m in 1:49.
As the race progressed and Hassan and Muir on the leader’s heels, it was soon clear we would witness the three same athletes on the podium once again – and it was just a battle now for positions.
With 400m to run it was Hassan in second and Muir third, however, the British 3000m champion had a determined look of intent and after manoeuvring past the Dutch athlete, she was not going to relinquish second and held on to cross the line and clinch silver in 4:06.23.
Dibaba completing a 1500 and 3000m double in 4:05.27, with Hassan taking bronze in 4:07.26.
“I’ve finished 4th, 6th and 7th in world finals before so to win two medals this time around is amazing; it is about time,” said Muir afterwards after her fantastic performance. “I was so focused on the race and the people in front of me that I wasn’t even focusing on those behind me.
“I used my strengths and made the moves in the right places. I knew I had to build it up but react when I had to. I just tried to take my time and not panic.
“I was very close to silver in the 3000m so I knew I just had to go for it this time. I knew if I made the right moves, I could get another medal, and improve on the bronze.”
Eilidh Doyle got the evening session off to a winning start for Great Britain winning bronze over 400m with a great performance, while Zoey Clark finished sixth in her first individual world final.
Ther was also a bit of controversy with Elliot Giles in the 800m, who for an hour was awarded the bronze medal after American Drew Windle was disqualified. However, following an appeal, the original result was reinstated.
The evening came to a close with an American double in the 60m and 60m hurdles. Christian Coleman set a championship record 6.37 to win men’s 60m gold, just short of his own world record set last month. While Keni Harrison won her first ever world title in the women’s 60m hurdles.