Great Britain’s Laura Muir wins 1500m gold in style at European Indoor Championships in Istanbul

Laura Muir secured gold in the 1500m at the European Indoor Championships on Saturday, the fifth such medal of her career so far.

The Briton began the race as the favourite and the triumph has taken her one clear of Colin Jackson and Jason Gardener, two of her compatriots who boast four golds at the event. Muir’s victory is her first at the event since 2019, with her maiden win coming in 2017.

“I was quite nervous coming into these champs because I don’t think I’m at my absolute best. But I just hoped that with that grit and that determination, I would still be able to come here and win,” she told the BBC.

“All of my race plans went out of the window when they went out that fast. I was like ‘Just pick them off, pick them off’. To be fair to Claudia [Mihaela Bobocea, in silver], she ran so well.

“I knew when I went I would be strong enough.”

The 29-year-old is now preparing for the outdoor season, and she is looking forward to more competition.”

She added: “When you get older you start to appreciate these opportunities. Would I rather be here and not 100% fit or would I rather be at home and watching? I was like, ‘Nah, I’d rather be here and give it a go’. I’m just so chuffed with that.”

Muir has had a successful winter after winning the Wanamaker Mile in New York, as well as securing the World Indoor Tour Final 1km event in Birmingham.

Paula Radcliffe said on the BBC: “It’s really special for a number of reasons, number one being that she herself said she is not 100%.

“She bluffed a little bit in there, she chanced that she would have enough of a lead by the time she started to tie up. She relied on her instinct. All of those things make her the complete package.”

The win for Muir means Great Britain now have four medals in Istanbul so far, and is the only gold of the lot.

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