European champion Laura Muir tops the bill for the Scottish 3000m Championships in Glasgow on Sunday for an eagerly-awaited GAA Miler Meet.
The Emirates Arena will be the place to be to watch Muir, who won double gold at the European Indoors in Belgrade 10 months ago, start in earnest her preparations for the World Indoors in Birmingham in March.
Muir will compete in the top men’s race in the first Scottish championships of 2018 – with medals up for grabs over 3000m at Senior, U20 and U17 level as well as for Masters athletes in five-year categories from V35.
With a couple of 600m races also planned, it promises to be a great afternoon at the Emirates from 2pm to 5pm.Admission is only £3 for adults and U16s are free.
Indeed, the whole essence of the sport in Scotland should be captured on a day when Laura races against the likes of her training partner, GB cross country international Sol Sweeney; the start-lists include Kelsey Stewart and Jill Cherry (600m), Erin Wallace and Josephine Moultrie (3000m); and those Masters clashes will see the likes of husband-and-wife team Fiona and Grant Matheson in action in the same race.
Muir, of course, set this event alight last year with a superb and almost solo run in the 5000m when her time of 14.49.12 broke the British Record for indoors, previously held by Liz McColgan.
In a mixed race this time, there’s no record attempt but the veterinary medicine student will no doubt have eyes on her 3000m indoor PB of 8.26.41.
There’s also a Women’s 3000m race which will be paced by Charlene Thomas in which the likes of Katie Snowden and Melissa Courtney will chase the 8.50 qualifying time required by British Athletics for selection for the World Indoors in Birmingham – where Laura may yet double up over 1500m and 3000m, as she did so impressively in Belgrade last year.
‘I’m really looking forward to another GAA Miler Meet event at the Emirates as I love to race in Scotland when I can,’ said Muir.
‘It is the first of two, of course, with the Great Edinburgh XC at Holyrood Park the following week when I am involved in the 4 x 1K International Relay.
‘Sunday should be a really good afternoon of athletics at the Emirates so hopefully people can come along and support the athletes and their coaches.’
In terms of the Men’s medals on offer in Muir’s race, the contenders could well include the likes of Sweeney, Grant Muir, Ben Potrykus, James Donald and Irish athlete Daniel Mooney. Pace-maker Adam Craig could well be the favourite, however.
