Laura Muir and Jemma Reekie post impressive wins at Muller Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow

Their presents and futures now inextricably linked, Laura Muir and Jemma Reekie provided another demonstration on Saturday that 2020 might be a year in which each converts immense potential into a wealth of fulfilment. The training partners seized victories in impressive style at the Muller Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow.

Laura Muir: 1000m victory

Both can now peer ahead to the Tokyo Olympics and dare to dream of joint jubilation.

Muir, a double European indoor champion on the track of the Emirates Arena eleven months ago, could not quite realise her optimistic ambition of capturing a maiden world record. She won the 1000 metres with complete ease in 2:33.47 but was over three seconds outside Maria Mutola’s benchmark which survived unscathed.

“It’s that last lap that’s really tough,” the 26-year-old acknowledged. “I gave it the best shot I could. I’d have loved to have run faster and have run a personal best and got a new British record. But I gave it a good shot.”

A last competitive outing of this winter, she confirmed. Now to focus on the soon-to-arrive Diamond League circuit and the evasion of injury. The lingering effects of the torn calf which disrupted last summer beyond her comeback at October’s world championships in Doha, she revealed. Full steam ahead, she trusts.

“My Achilles reacted quite a bit to the extent that where I had to cross train in the pool, then I could run every second day, then I did road sessions on trainers and track sessions on trainers. And then going into my spikes. Yeah it was a long time out. I usually have a really solid winter so that was quite unusual to me. I’m excited to where I can go from here.”

Sheltered from the storms outside, Reekie continued to generate a whirlwind of attention with her triumph in the 1500 metres. Not, this time, in a British record, after claiming three inside the past three weeks. Yet another impressively emphatic run, bolting out of trouble on the inside lane to forcefully hit the front on the last lap, winning in 4:04.07 - just shy of the mark she clocked in New York eight days ago which surpassed Muir’s existing UK best.

“I tried to stay calm and not panic and stay focused all the way,” she revealed. “It’s definitely a good confidence boost and it’s exciting for me. I knew this could be a great race and that I could win it. That’s the difference. I’m not just coming to line up on the track now. I’m coming to win.”

Like Muir, the 21-year-old will pass on a return here for next weekend’s UK Indoor Championships. Instead she will inhale and then regather. The monumental progress made in recent weeks has shoved the European Under-23 champion in the ranks of Olympic contenders.

“I’m enjoying being that fast and knowing that’s what I can do,” she admitted.

“I was hoping I was going to beat my own British record. But that’s ok. I’ll take the win.”

Only Mondo Duplantis is relishing a hotter streak than hers. For the second time in a week, the Louisiana-born Swede elevated pole vault’s world record. clearing 6.18 metres with supernatural ease. By raising his previous bar by a single centimetre, the prodigious 20-year-old acquired a $30,000 bonus and additional kudos.

Having dedicated himself to this event since the age of three, and with a high-flying father sharing his insights, destiny beckons. “It’s the best little split second that could ever be,” he declared. “Everything builds up to that one tiny little moment. That little freefall is a magical moment.”

Few would bet against him now emulating the great Sergey Bubka by claiming golds aplenty and profiting from marginal gains to the record. The latter, he acknowledged, is a tough ask.

“Every competition I go into I want to win and that’s the main goal - the No 1 goal at every competition. I want to jump high, I want to break the world record but first you’ve got to win and that’s’ the main goal. So I’ll try to win and if I’m feeling good and have a bit of energy left, I’ll try to crank it up. I can’t promise anything but I’ll give it 100 per cent for sure.”

Jessie Knight, a primary school teacher from Epsom, surprised herself by winning the 400m in 51.57 secs, the third-quickest time in the world of 2020.

The 25-year-old, who quit the sport completely three years ago, need to ask her principal for a day off to prepare. A gold star, deserved, for her endeavours.

“I got a stadium record,” she beamed. “Being on that start list, on paper I should have been last.”

Scottish pair Guy Learmonth and Josh Kerr – who will duel for the British title here next weekend - came third and fourth in the 800m.