World Tour in Lievin sees UK record for Laura Muir
Laura Muir opened her 2021 season with a British indoor record in the women’s 1500m, while there was a British 800m double for Jemma Reekie (handicap 3.2) and Elliot Giles (handicap -7.0); at the second stop in the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold series in Lievin.
In an extraordinary women’s 1500m, Laura Muir (handicap 3.5) lowered the British indoor record to 3:59.58 in a race which saw Guduf Tsegay break the indoor world record, lowering Genzebe Dibaba’s previous best by over two seconds.
The Ethiopian’s time of 3:53.09 was the reward for going with a fast pace at the beginning of the race, while the rest of the field ran a closer to 4:02 pace. Among those were Muir and Melissa Courtney-Bryant (handicap 3.5) who bagged second and third position with indoor best times.
For Muir, it was a lonely race as she chased Tsegay over the final few laps, but ultimately, she could not close gap which had opened up after the pacemaker started at 3:45 1500m pace. However, Muir produced the best indoor performance of her career as she regained the national indoor record which was broken by Jemma Reekie in New York last year.
For Courtney-Bryant, she was again in impressive form, recording a time of 4:04.79 for third spot and a Welsh Indoor record.
Jemma Reekie (handicap 3.2) delivered a commanding performance as she claimed victory over 800 metres. The performance was a continuation of the fine form which took her to British records during the truncated 2020 season.
After a controlled 400m which saw the pacemaker go through in 58.15, Reekie made her move on lap three, moving with intent and positioning herself on the shoulder of Habitum Alemu at the bell. On cue, she glided passed the Ethiopian athlete around the top bend and held on to her position to keep the pack at bay and win in 2:00.64.
In the same race, Keely Hodgkinson (handicap -1.8), fresh from setting an indoor world U20 record in Vienna last week, showed her capabilities at this level once again as she held on to the rapid pace set by the leading pack over the four laps. She showed her grit and determination on the final lap as she battled to fourth in a time of 2:01.71.
Following victory at the first World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Karlsruhe, Elliot Giles (handicap -7.0) was back to winning ways in the men’s 800m.
The pacemaker went through 400m in 50.14 with Pierre Ambrose-Bosse and Elliot Giles in close pursuit. The Briton was composed over the penultimate lap, biding his time behind the tiring Frenchman. Giles kicked on at the bell for a time of 1:45.49.
Kyle Langford (handicap -5.9) led briefly in the second 800m before a fast-finishing Guy Learmonth (handicap -6.5) claimed the domestic battle in 1:47.94, while Langford completed in 1:48.38.
Results
World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold series - Lievin
UK runbritain rankings for endurance events and age groups
Other results from the weekend are on the following links: