Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Modest Muir grateful to now be competing in her third Olympics
BECOMING a threetime Olympian is “pretty special,” Laura Muir proclaims.
It’s not what the pride of Milnathort expected at all when she packed her bags for university just after London 2012 with dreams of curing animals as a vet rather than becoming a big beast of the track.
Paris 2024 is not living the dream, argues the 31-year-old.
“I never even thought about this. So it’s really exciting to enjoy a third Olympic Games and go in, aiming to do well.”
Resting for the energetic endeavours ahead, she was not among the estimated 50 British athletes floating down the Seine for last night’s opening ceremony where organisers traded in the traditional marching in turn around an athletics stadium to create a photogenic flotilla of sporting vessels to transport each nation to the lighting of the flame.
The UK crew was skippered by its flagbearers, diver Tom Daley and rower Helen Glover. Past champions both, it signals the standards expected from a squad of 327 that includes 169 returning Olympians and 74, like Muir, who have medalled before.
The target from UK Sport is 50-70 medals.
Duncan Scott may get the Scottish tally on the board tonight in swimming’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
A great games for the Caledonian contingent would bring around 25 trips to the podium.
Claiming silver in Tokyo three years ago, Muir recently asserted her credentials to challenge again by breaking her own UK 1500 metres record at the Diamond League meeting in this same city.
“That was huge,” she explained. It took down a personal best set in Japan. Proof it is all coming together at the right time.
“I needed that,” she added. Muir has had a rough ride since the last games, changing coaches, moving south, coping with emotional challenges.
Kathleen Dawson’s obstacles have been physical with bulging discs in her back that delivered significant pain and an examination of her resolve.
A swimming gold medallist in the mixed 4x100 medley in Tokyo, the Fifer concedes she has slipped off the pace in her individual gambit in the 100m backstroke where she remains the European record holder. That has meant tempering expectations this time.
The likes of Scott, Adam Peaty and Freya Colbert will be aiming for victory and to continue the unprecedented success of British swimming at the last games.
“I’m in a completely different position going into this one,” Stirling University-based Dawson said. “I have to just be super proud of myself that I’ve actually made this.”
Dundonian Charlotte Watson has fought back from missing Tokyo and watching her teammates in the Great Britain women’s hockey side fend off India in a nail-biter to acquire bronze.
The 26-year-old will make her bow against Spain tomorrow as one of three Scots in the side.
Adding Watson, and Edinburgh’s Amy Costello, is a handy refresh, says Sarah Robertson – the lone Scot in 2021.
“Charlotte and Amy have developed a lot in the last few years,” she said.