Rio 2016 Olympian Laura Muir got her 2017 off to a dream start by smashing the UK indoor 5000m record in Glasgow on Wednesday.
Muir clocked a new 5000m time of 14:49.12, destroying the record previously set by fellow Scot Liz McColgan in 1992 by 14 seconds.
It comes just months after the 23-year-old broke Dame Kelly Holmes’ 1500m British record at the 2016 Muller Anniversary Games, a time which had stood since Holmes landed Olympic gold at Athens 2004.
She later went on to break that record again at the Diamond League meeting in Paris – a year in which she took the overall title – as well as finishing seventh in the 1500m final at her maiden Olympic Games.
Thursday’s impressive run was only Muir’s second ever track race over the distance, and in covering the opening 3,000m in a time of 8:59.39, she secured the qualifying standard for March’s European Indoor Championships in Belgrade.
Muir now stands second on the European indoor all-time list for the distance, and in addition, moves into the top ten in the world indoor standings.
“I am really pleased,” she said. “It’s been a long time since I ran a 5,000m and it’s the start of the year as well so you’re always a little bit apprehensive about how things are going to go.
“But I wanted to just go out there, give it my best shot, run three-minute kilometres and then wind it up – and that’s what I managed to do.
“The training stint in South Africa went really well and I could tell from my training when I got back, I was doing PB sessions over the 5,000m training so I knew things were looking good. But you never know until you race on the day.
“It’s great to put down that marker. It’s great to start the year off like that and hopefully it will continue.”
On Saturday, Muir will captain the British Athletics team for the Great Edinburgh International XCountry as she lines up for the mixed 4x1km relay team.
The squad will also feature four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah, as well as fellow Olympians Callum Hawkins, Andy Vernon and Steph Twell.
“To be given the opportunity to captain a British Athletics team is a great honour, especially on home soil and with such a strong team,” she said.
“We have some fantastic cross country runners in both the senior and younger age groups, and hopefully, as team captain, I can help contribute to another successful event for the British team.”
Sportsbeat 2017