Laura Muir coasts through 1500m heat in Tokyo as Sifan Hassan wins too
Sifan Hassan #SifanHassan
Laura Muir breezed through her 1500m heat as the Team GB star got her gold medal tilt off to a strong start in Tokyo on Monday.
The Scot finished 7th in Rio five years ago, but her dominance in the European indoor championships at this distance convinced the 28-year-old to ditch the 800m event and put all her focus on the 1500m.
And with the top six from each qualifying for the next round, Muir was in second gear in Tokyo on Monday morning as she coasted through, with one of the favourites, Sifan Hassan, also making it through.
The Scot finished second in heat one in four minutes 03.89 seconds, behind Canada’s Gabriela DeBues-Stafford.
‘So excited to get started, all my flatmates have raced already so I was itching to get going,’ she told the BBC.
‘It’s about being as best prepared as possible, I felt really confident and it is nice to get started. I feel more prepare than ever. Before my speed was my weakness but I’ve improved so much.’
In the first heat, USA’s Cory McGee was eighth and is unlikely to make it as a fastest loser, while Australia’s Georgia Griffith is out.
Dutch star Hassan took a dramatic tumble in the next race after an opponent in front of her tripped.
But the Ethiopia-born middle- and long-distance runner recovered impressively, instantly climbing to her feet and sprinting through the field to win the race, with Australia’s Jessica Hull also through.
Muir’s fellow Brit Revee Walcott-Nolan ran a lifetime best, and although she finished outside the top six, may qualify as a fastest loser.
Faith Kipyegon won the third, with GB athlete Katie Snowden also qualifying automatically in the first six.
More to follow.
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