British 800m runner sets UK indoor championship record in Birmingham and is excited about performing on home soil in a fortnight
It wasn’t a bad day at the oval office for Jemma Reekie. After her 800m heat on Saturday (Feb 17) she was struggling to find tickets for friends and family to watch her at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow. Yet by the end of Sunday she had secured selection and found some tickets too.
“I’ve got some tickets now so I’m really excited,” she said after running a championship record of 1:58.24 in Birmingham to win. “Glasgow has sold out so quickly so it shows how great the championships is going to be.”
The 25-year-old is developing a habit of bringing the house down. She won her race at the Diamond League in London last summer at the end of the programme and here she won again in the last event of a busy two-day schedule.
“I think I do well in that kind of environment,” she said. “London had a big crowd and Birmingham’s crowd was amazing here and I think I’ll thrive off that in Glasgow and I’m ready for that so I’m excited.”
Erin Wallace, Jemma Reekie, Issy Boffey (Getty)
Issy Boffey was runner-up on Sunday in 2:00.27 with Erin Wallace third in 2:01.35. After studying at the University of Birmingham, Boffey enjoyed some loud cheers from friends in the stands at the sold-out Utilita Arena. Reekie will hope for the same in Glasgow in a fortnight with her name poised to be part of a GB team named on Monday morning.
“I want to win so badly in front of Glasgow and it’s been so long coming,” she said.
Laura Muir is another Scottish middle-distance runner in brilliant form. After her European two miles record at the Millrose Games seven days earlier, she won a much slower 3000m race here in 8:58.80.
Following a slow 84sec first 400m, her last 400m was closer to 60sec as she beat Hannah Nuttall (9:01.94) and Kate Axford (9:08.03).
Laura Muir (Getty)
Muir said: “I am very excited to have booked my ticket now. I still needed to go through the official qualification process and it is very special for me to be there at the first global champs Scotland has hosted.
“I am very excited to see what I can do in Glasgow and it is a big stepping stone on the road to Paris. I take the pressure as an indicator of my success and try and use it to my advantage. I am very privileged to be in this position.”
Georgia Bell (Getty)
Whereas Muir is…
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