Laura Muir wins record fifth European Indoor title with 1500m gold

Laura Muir won the gold in the women's 1500m in Istanbul to win a record-breaking fifth championship at the European Indoor Championships. Claudia Bobocea of Romania and Sofia Ennaoui of Poland trailed the Scotswoman Muir, who won Olympic silver in Tokyo, when she crossed the finish line in four minutes and 03.40 seconds. Ellie Baker, Katie Snowden's teammate from Great Britain, finished 11th. After Colin Jackson and Jason Gardener, Muir's victory in the Atakoy Arena elevates the Dundee Hawkhill runner to the top spot among British competitors at the European Indoor Championships. The 29-year-old Muir added, "I didn't really know what to anticipate, and when it went off that quickly, all my racing preparations went out the window. "In the end of the day, the 1500 metres requires adaptability, and it worked out in the end." I'm in a position now where I have experience and can handle many situations. I'm just giddy." I was extremely anxious going into this tournament because I didn't feel like I was performing at my utmost best." Yet I had faith that I could still come here and succeed if I had tenacity and perseverance. As you become older, you value these possibilities more. In another event, 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson breezed into the final. Hodgkinson, who turned 21 on Friday, finished second at the world championships in Eugene last year and also won silver at the Olympics in Tokyo as well as the European outdoor championship in 2022. In her semifinal heat, she didn't take any chances and ran to the front to win in two minutes and 0.05 seconds.

Hodgkinson added, "Sometimes you need to keep the rhythm running rather than attempting to slow down. I am anticipating tomorrow since I am content and feeling well. Because you never know what will happen, the end strategy remains the same as it has always been. "Maybe I can finish tomorrow's race safely and do as well as I did last time." Issy Boffey, on the other hand, was unable to go to Sunday's final because she grew weaker at the end of her race, while Guy Learmonth placed sixth in his heat and advanced to the men's 800m final. Jazmin Sawyers, the long jump squad captain for Great Britain, needed just one try to reach 6.71 metres to go to the final. I seldom complete qualifying in a single leap, so it feels good. I ought to do it more frequently, Sawyers added. "I'm not too surprised since I know I'm in terrific form, and everything felt really controlled." I was afraid I could go over 6.75 metres, but if I can start out strong in round one, it gives me hope for the final. British champion David King qualified for the men's 60-meter hurdles, while Jack Rowe and James West advanced in the men's 3,000 metres. Nevertheless, there was disappointment in the men's 60-meter final when Reece Prescott and Jeremiah Azu failed to place.