Muir was spurred by Child visit

Laura Muir once collected a gold medal from London 2012-bound Eilidh Child – and now she wants to make her own mark on athletics. The teenager from Fife is one of four Scots involved in the World Juniors event in Barcelona this week.

Muir runs in the 3000m final in the Olympic stadium tonight with Nick Percy (discus), Emily Dudgeon (800m) and Tom Holligan (4 x 100m relays) also involved.

It was on the sports fields of Kinross High School that dreams developed for 19-year-old Glasgow University veterinary student Muir shortly after she stepped-up from primary school and started athletics with Dundee Hawkhill. “I went to the same school as Eilidh Child in Milnathort although I actually missed her because she is six years older,” said Muir.

When I went to secondary I found out that Eilidh held all the school records at the shorter distances like 100m, 200m and 400m. Fortunately I managed to do quite well at the longer ones like 800m and 1500m.

“One year, as she became an established athlete, she came along to the school sports day as a former pupil and presented the prizes. It was great to meet her and I’m so pleased for her to be heading to the Olympics.”