Athletics in Scotland is enjoying, what most consider, its best era in terms of elite success.
Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth medals are returning to these shores at an increasingly rapid rate and so there is no better time, believes Eilidh Doyle, to bring a major championship to this country and capitalise on the achievements of this golden generation.
With one year to go until the World Indoor Athletics Championships come to Glasgow, Doyle, who is Scotland’s most-decorated track and field athlete with 17 major championship medals, has been revealed as an ambassador for the event and she believes that both the calibre of athletes Scotland currently boasts, as well as Glasgow’s reputation for being a fantastic host for major sporting events, makes it the perfect combination.
“I was involved in the bid for the Championships which was really great and so to remain involved as an ambassador is fantastic,” says the 36-year-old who retired from athletics in 2019.
“It’s massive for the Scottish athletes having a major championship at home. Glasgow is such a good host city and there’s always so much support for the home athletes and I’m certain the Worlds in 2024 will have that same incredible atmosphere. The European Indoors in Glasgow in 2019 was my last-ever competition and it was a great event; it was sold out, there was a brilliant atmosphere and all the athletes just loved being a part of it and I think that’s a big reason why Glasgow has been chosen to host these Worlds, it’s been proven what a great job they do with these competitions.”
From Laura Muir to Jake Wightman to Josh Kerr to Eilish McColgan to Zoey Clark to Nicole Yeargin et al, the number of Scottish athletes who have won silverware on the world stage in recent years is remarkable.
And with the majority of that exalted group likely to be keen to compete at the 2024 World Indoor Championships, which will take place at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow’s east end, Doyle is confident there will be considerable Scottish success, as well as giving an insight into how the country’s best are looking ahead of the Paris Olympics in the summer.
“We’ll hopefully see some of the massive Scottish names competing; 2024 is a huge year with it being Olympic year so the World Indoors will be the start of what will hopefully be a really successful season for them and so it’ll be interesting to see how they’re looking, what kind of shape they’re in and the Worlds will hopefully kick-start what will, I hope, be a really successful year for them and for the other Scottish athletes.”
The immediate focus for a number of Scotland’s athletes, however, is the European Indoor Championships, which begin in Istanbul today.
Included in the 31-strong GB team are four Scots – Muir, Neil Gourley, Guy Learmonth and Carys McAuley, with Muir likely to be leading the charge in terms of picking up silverware.
The 29-year-old is going for her third 1500m gold medal, and fifth overall, and Doyle can’t see Muir having anything other than a successful meet, although she points out that major championship success is not always as easy as individuals like Muir can make it appear.
Doyle’s major championship medals, won between 2010 and 2019, showed a remarkable display of consistency, a trait Muir is also demonstrating. That is a skill in itself and so success from Muir in Istanbul over the next few days should not be taken for granted, says Doyle.
“Laura has always been so dominant indoors so I can’t see her not doing well this week,” she says.
“You have to still turn up, race well and execute your plan but my guess is she’ll run well.
“It is hard to win medals season after season – it’s not as easy as just turning up. What I think you might find this season is that this is a bit of a down year with there having been three major events last summer.
“So, with the Olympics coming up next year, it might be the case that some athletes are doing some long-term planning.
“You’re always on a real knife-edge in athletics – you’re constantly battling niggles and injuries. If you can get a good, solid winter in that’s huge because you really build a good base and that’s what you need if you’re going to be winning medals on the world stage.”
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