Laura Muir claims silver in women’s 1500m final at Tokyo Olympics with British record time

The Scot broke the British record with a Personal Best run for her first Olympic medal

Laura Muir has claimed silver for Team GB in the women’s 1500 metres final at Tokyo 2020.

The Scot finished seventh in the 2016 final in Rio but ran a Personal Best time here (3:54.50) to break the British record and finish second.

Faith Kipyegon of Kenya retained her title with an Olympic record (3:53.11), while the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan took bronze.

Following her seventh-placed finish at Rio 2016, Muir won European Indoor titles at 1500m in 2017 and 2019 and at the European Championships in 2018.

Her progress culminated in this silver medal, which she won after a brave surge across the final 250m to get past Hassan.

“I don’t know what to say,” a tearful Muir told the BBC after the race. “I’ve worked so hard for so long.

“I mean I’ve been fourth, fifth twice, sixth and seventh... With everything last year that’s been postponed, not knowing if it was going ahead...

“I just trained as well as I could,” the 28-year-old continued. “I’ve been so nervous all week, [thinking] ‘why is the 1500 at the end?!’

Muir reacts after winning silver in Tokyo (PA)

“I want to thank everyone supporting me. Mum, dad and gran, they’re all supporting me at home. And [teammate] Jemma [Reekie] – I couldn’t wish for a better friend and training partner. And my coach Andy has sacrificed the last 10 years for that four-minute performance.

“It felt like 3:54:00 because it was hurting – that last 100m, I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life that someone was going to come past me and I would drop to fourth. I just tried my absolute hardest in that last stretch.

“I don’t know if that national record will be broken, but that medal is mine.”