Georgia Hunter-Bell passes ‘first big test’ to retain title at British Indoors

The middle-distance runner embraced her role as favourite with a strong win, while Hannah Nuttall stunned Laura Muir over 3,000m

Georgia Hunter-Bell eased to 1,500m victory in Birmingham to show her growing strength (David Davies/PA Wire)

Georgia Hunter-Bell insists she is getting used to her new role as favourite as she reclaimed her women's 1500m indoor crown at the British Indoor Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

The 31-year-old successfully defended her title as she came home with a time of 4.13.23 in front of Revee Nolan-Walcott in second and Ellie Leather, who took bronze.

The Paris bronze medal winner tracked the leaders all the way and turned on the afterburners as the bell rang for the final lap, passing Nolan-Walcott and storming down the home straight in front of the Birmingham crowd, a week after her personal best at the Keely Klassic.

Georgia Hunter-Bell is embracing her place as favourite (Getty Images)

Hunter-Bell said: "I really wanted to come back and defend my title and every year it is so hard, you have to step up.

"This is the first big test of me coming in as a favourite rather than an underdog so I'm adjusting to that.

"I prefer being the underdog. It's just no pressure and can be really confident and good shape but it's a new thing and I'm learning.

"There is no secret formula, it's just practicing racing to be able to perform at championships. I did my undergrad here so it's nice to be back in Birmingham."

Hannah Nuttall produced a stunning sprint finish to beat Laura Muir and clinch the women's 3000m title.

Hannah Nuttall came from behind to stun Laura Muir (David Davies/PA Wire)

The 27-year-old produced a stunning 29.1 second last lap to overtake the Tokyo Olympic medallist in the final bend to cause an upset at the Utilita Arena.

Muir, alongside Nuttall, gradually broke away from the rest of the pack but it was the former who made the first move with just over a couple of laps to go and looked like she would go on to retain her title from 2024.

But Nuttall - the reigning 5000m outdoor champion - hit back before the home straight and breezed past Muir to take gold, coming home almost a second before Muir.

Nuttall said: "I did think today I could potentially come out with the win if I had my best possible race but to actually execute it and do it is another thing.

Laura Muir could not hold off Hannah Nuttall (Getty Images)

"I thought I'll just follow her (Muir) and see what I have left in the tank at the end; I had another gear and when I went past her and she didn't have anything left.

"The nerves the last few days have been off the scale."

Olympic relay medal winners Amber Anning and Lina Nielsen came home in first and second respectively in the women's 400m race, while Katarina Johnson-Thompson finished 10th in shot put.

Anning and Nielsen were part of the team that clinched bronze in Paris last summer and the pair fought till the end in Birmingham, with Nielsen's personal best of 1.11.77 not enough as Anning finished 0.27 seconds in front of her.

PA