Laura Muir: Scot breaks 31-year-old mile record by more than five seconds - BBC Sport
Scot Laura Muir smashes Kirsty Wade's 31-year-old British record to win the women's indoor mile in Birmingham.
Last updated on .From the section Athletics

Scot Laura Muir smashed Kirsty Wade's 31-year-old British record to win the women's indoor mile in Birmingham.

The 25-year-old finished in four minutes 18.75 seconds, breaking Wade's mark of 4:23.86.

Muir told BBC Sport: "I knew I was in great shape. It was about winning the race, but also about running fast.

"I'm so chuffed to get the record on home soil. I knew the split halfway and knew I was there and thereabouts. The crowd were fantastic."

Her time was the third fastest indoors in history, behind Ethiopian great Genzebe Dibaba (4:13.31) and Romanian Doina Melinte (4:17.14).

She ran the first 1500m in 4.01.83, which is faster than her own British indoor record of 4:02.39.

Muir will be hoping to defend her 1500m and 3,000m European indoor titles in Glasgow from 1-3 March.

'She gave everything to get that time'

"Laura gave all she had and came so close to Melinte's European record. She did it all on her own. The real hard work was done on the last few laps.

"She dug deep and maintained her form and focus up to the end. You could see how much she gave after she crossed the line because she stumbled and barely kept her legs underneath her. That was a sign of an athlete who's given absolutely everything to get that time."

Preston-born Holly Bradshaw also shone in the women's pole vault.

The Blackburn Harrier came into this competition in good form having won the British title in Birmingham with 4.80m. Back in the same arena she raised the roof once again with another exceptional display.

After sneaking over 4.71m on her third attempt she set the standard by clearing a season's best of 4.81m with her first effort. American Katie Nageotte and Greek Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou also cleared the same height, but trailed Bradshaw on countback.

The trio attempted 4.88m, which had Bradshaw cleared would have been a new British record, but they failed.

"To win with a season's best, I'm as shocked as everyone else," Bradshaw, the 2013 European indoor champion, told BBC Sport.

"I'm finally 18 months of injury-free preparations. I can go to Glasgow now with the thought of a medal."

Scot Lynsey Sharp was fifth in the women's 800m and will have to wait to see if she will be selected to compete in Glasgow.

The 2012 outdoor European champion, 28, finished ahead of fellow Briton Mari Smith. However, Smith was runner-up at the British Championships and that, coupled with dipping under the qualifying mark on Saturday, means she takes her place in the squad.

London athlete Shelayna Oskan-Clarke followed up her win at the British trials with another victory, in two minutes 01.16 seconds.

Manx athlete Joe Reid won the British men's 800m title last week, but failed to record a time under the qualifying mark of 1:48.00. However, he rectified that on his second visit to Birmingham with one minute 47.83 seconds to finish third in a thrilling race won by Australian Joseph Deng (1:47.27).

Fellow Briton Jamie Webb was first at the British Championships, but was subsequently disqualified. However, he took second spot on Saturday (1.47.51) to earn his place in the team.

Another Scot, Eilidh Doyle, is also waiting to see if the selectors will pick her to compete in the individual 400m.

The world and European indoor medallist clocked a season's best 52.43 seconds to come second behind Jamaica's Stephanie Ann McPherson (52.24).

She told BBC Sport: "I'd be grateful to go and compete there. Indoors is funny - it's about getting the race right. Hopefully there's a 51-second in there."

Former Olympic heptathlon champion Denise Lewis said: "Eilidh is aggressive - we have seen it time and time again in whichever event she's competed in. Her experience is that instant recall of how to execute."

Compatriot Eilish McColgan, a European indoor bronze medallist in 2017, will also have to rely on the selectors' nod after finishing seventh in the 3,000m in a season's best 8:57.19.

Reigning European indoor men's 60m champion Richard Kilty is also unsure of his berth after finishing fifth on Saturday in 6.64 seconds - outside the European qualifying standard of 6.60.

"It's up to the selectors," said the 29-year-old, nicknamed the "Teesside Tornado".

"I've had a rough comeback from Achilles surgery. It'll be nice if I could be selected. The main thing is I'm happy to be back."

China's Bingtian Su won the 60m in 6.47, with Briton Reece Prescod, who has chosen not to run in Glasgow, second in 6.53. CJ Ujah is the only other Briton to have run under the qualifying standard.

Britain's reigning European indoor champion Asha Philip finished second in the women's 60m in 7.14 seconds behind double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson (7.13).