Murray joins GB with Radcliffe out the running

Sports writer

Tuesday 31 July 2012

FREYA MURRAY was booked on a flight to the United States on Sunday after spectating at the Olympic Games.

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Doug Gillon

Now she will be competing in them.

"I've never been so happy to cancel and alter travel arrangements," she said yesterday. "I will be at the Olympic marathon now, but I won't be standing on the sidelines cheering people on."

After a morning putting the finishing touches to a Scottish housing project in her Newcastle office, the Edinburgh-born athlete officially became an Olympian, named as replacement for injured world marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe.She was selected as reserve for the Great British team after her 13th-place debut in London. "The only thing I've maybe missed is altitude preparation," she said. "If I'd known in April that I'd be running, I'd probably have gone to Boulder."However, the fifth Scottish female athlete on Team GB is as ready as she could be. "I had a niggling nerve in my foot, back in June, but have been able to train fully since."That cost her a few days when she aqua-jogged. "But my physio said at the weekend that I was in as good shape as I was in London. In some ways it may be good. I've not been pouring out nervous energy and getting scared, thinking about the race."I was about to do the week's shopping in Asda when I got a text from Paula on Sunday. She had withdrawn."Did she buy a bottle of wine to celebrate? "No, and I didn't buy as much food, since I'll no longer be at home. But I hope to celebrate on Sunday."Radcliffe had phoned the Scot last Thursday saying how unlikely she was to run. "She told me in percentage terms, let me know where she was. It was an honest opinion, and she explained she would do a trial on Saturday evening or Sunday morning. It was totally horrible and devastating for her. It must have been a difficult call to make. She was obviously upset. I hope she is able to recover and get back running again."It was nice to be kept in the picture, especially by Paula. She did not have to make that call, and I really appreciated it."Murray was so excited she phoned her coach, former marathon world record-holder Steve Jones. "He's in Boulder, and I thought he sounded a bit sleepy. No wonder, I'd called him at 5am. I will be talking to him later this week, to discuss the race."She had planned to be in London at the weekend, spectating at athletics on Friday, and the marathon on Sunday. "I was due to fly to the United States overnight, and head for Boulder in Colorado for altitude training before an autumn marathon."A structural engineer with Cundall, she says they have been "hugely supportive" in accommodating her sport. "I've had a lot of time off. I was at altitude in Kenya in January and May, and in Boulder in March," said Murray.The 28-year-old has been running for 20 years, and is a multiple Scottish champion on cross-country since her school days. "I remember watching the 1988 Games, but only considered I might be an Olympian after the last two," she said."Liz McColgan and Yvonne Murray were my heroines as a girl. I remember getting my first pair of running shoes and my brother, John, pointed out: 'That's the ones Yvonne Murray wears.' So I said, 'I'll have them.'"She ran 2hr 28min 10sec in London – the fastest debut by a Scot since McColgan won in New York 21 years ago. "If I could run a PB in the Olympics, that would be a dream. You always want to do your best and give everything."I'm not there just to get the T-shirt. I have had so much support from so many people. I want to make everyone proud. It will be pretty horrendous for Paula to watch, but I'm sure she doesn't want to see someone daunder round."

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Murray joins GB with Radcliffe out the running

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