Laura Muir retains major ambitions for the World Championships after continuing her impressive comeback from a foot injury with victory in her latest race.
The Scot was given little chance of realising her goal of running in both the 1500 metres and 5000m after being forced to rest last month when a stress fracture of the foot was diagnosed.
But she followed up personal bests at 800m and the mile in her first two races back with a comfortable 1500m win in Padua, Italy, on Sunday, coming home in four minutes 5.01 seconds.
London will stage the World Championships (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
“I was really happy to get the win,” Muir told Press Association Sport. “It’s great to be back racing and I’m just looking forward to London in a month’s time.
“Training has been going really well and I’m really happy with where I’m at with my racing too. It’s full steam ahead towards London and everything is going well.
“When I first had the injury I didn’t know how long it was going to take to fully recover and how it would react.
Laura Muir is back on her feet after injury problems (Mike Egerton/PA)
“It wasn’t really until I got back running and saw what shape I was in that I knew what was still going to be on the table.
“But it’s gone really well since I’ve been back and I’m running really well. So it’s all looking good. I’m going to do the 1500 and 5k.”
Late last month, British Athletics performance director Neil Black gave Muir a 1% chance of doubling up at London in August in the wake of her injury, but the 24-year-old was quick to dispel such a prognosis.
WC:
2013 Moscow 800m
2015 Beijing 1500m
2017 London 1500m, 5000m
So excited to get out there and compete in the two events!! #REPRESENT https://t.co/8QD4a4K7aR— Laura Muir (@lauramuiruns) July 11, 2017
And the injury scare has only strengthened Muir’s resolve to claim her first medals at a major outdoor championships following her double gold in the European indoors in March.
“For me you really appreciate what you have when it’s taken away from you,” the vet student said.
“I’m just really happy to be back running, but at the same time I still want to do really well at the World Champs. I think I’m still capable of running really well there.”
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