Olympic medallist Laura Muir: Competing in Glasgow was chance to inspire next generation

Laura Muir has shared her joy at competing in the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow and hopes she helped to inspire the next generation of Scottish athletes.

Olympic medallist Muir finished fifth in the women’s 3000 metres at the Emirates Arena on Saturday with a season’s best time of 8:29.76.

Speaking to STV after the race, she said that part of her motivation to compete in the event was to let Scottish fans see her in action, in the hope that it be the spark that could help drive on kids who have dreams of reaching the peak in athletics themselves.

“It’s why I really wanted to do this,” Muir said. “If it had been anywhere else in the world I would have missed it but it’s Glasgow.

“If I can inspire one person out there then that’s job done.

“I want to be relatable and I want to be seen to be competing on tracks that these kids can train on in a couple of weeks’ time.

“I want kids to be saying ‘Wow, she’s doing that here so why can’t I?

“That was the main goal and to wave and for people to see me watch me in person as a physical person and not just on TV.”

Muir enjoyed the backing of the home crowd and said that being part of an event of that magnitude in her own country was “special”, with one moment in particular standing out.

“It was amazing when they called out my name for the starting line,” she said. “I didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

“We’ve never had a global championships in Scotland before, so I thought I can’t miss that. It was so, so special and I’m just so privileged to have had the opportunity.”

Muir’s season is geared towards the Olympics in Paris this summer and her dreams of adding to the 1500m silver medal she won in a memorable race three years ago. That moment has given her the belief that she can enjoy success once again.

“Yeah, it’s going to be tough,” she said. “The Olympics is what everyone wants but it’s the first time I’m going in as an Olympic medallist already with a silver medal from Tokyo.

“I’m in a position where I’ve been there and done it before and it gives you a lot of confidence when you’ve done it before.

“I want to go and get another one.”