byStuart Weir
Eilish McColgan Leading in Gateshead, photo by Getty Images /British Athletics
In his second piece on th Oslo Bislett Games, Stuart Weir writes about Briton Eilish McColgan and her masterful 5000 meters as well as other performances by Team GGl;./
Brits in Oslo
Eilish McColgan, photo by British Athletics
The stand-out British performance at the Bislett Games in Oslo was Eilish McColgan’s British record in the 5,000m. She was fourth behind Hellen Obiri in 14:28.55. McColgan who had won the GB trials at 10,000m and opted not to run the 5K last weekend but was granted a discretionary place. She said of the Oslo run: “I couldn’t be happier with that British record. The last KM was fast out there but it brought out the competitiveness in me. It really has been a long time coming. My race times haven’t reflected my training which has been going really well. My aim in Tokyo will be a PB. I know there are some fast girls out there – their speeds make me giddy”. In the past month, she has run 4:02.12 in the 1500m, 14:28.55 in the 5K, and 31:19.35 in the 10K. It is hard to think of another athlete with such a range and such consistency of performance. This year’s Olympic city will have special significance for her as it was in Tokyo that her mom won the 10K at the 1991 World Championships.
Daryll Neita, photo by British Athletics
Daryll Neita was disappointed to finish third in the 100m GB champs last weekend. She ran 11.09 in the semi-final but only 11.21 in the final. In Oslo, she ran 11.06 (2 hundredths of a second off her PR, set this year). She was second behind Ta Lou but ahead of Ajla Del Ponte, Javianne Oliver, Jamile Samuel, and Tianna Bartoltetta. Neita, who is now coached by Rana Reider, has a great chance of becoming the second GB woman to dip under 11 seconds.
Charlie Grice, Jake Wightman, Josh Kerr, Neil Gourley, photo by British Athletics
Charlie Da’Vall Grice was reportedly disappointed that Jake Heyward was given the discretionary place ahead of him. Hayward was third in the trials and Grice fifth – half a second behind but Grice has a PR of 3:30.62, more than three seconds faster than Hayward’s. In Oslo in the Dream Mile, he was ninth in 3:54.97. He started well but fell away in the latter stages of the race.
Jazmin Sawyers, photo by British Athletics
Adelle Tracey was seventh in a fast women’s 800 in 2:00.82. She had been sixth in the GB trials.
Jazmin Sawyers and Abi Irozuru finished first and second in the GB long-jump trials, securing their ticket to Tokyo. In Oslo they were fourth and sixth, well short of their best. I suspect that after the emotional high of making the Olympic team, this was a competition to too and too soon.
Stuart Weir was watching the meet at home on TV because his government strongly discouraged him from traveling and would have required him to quarantine 10 days on his return and it was not clear that the Norwegians would let him in!
