Neil Gourley lands silver at World Indoors 1500m as change of tactics pays off

Scotland’s Neil Gourley was thrilled after winning a silver medal for Great Britain in the men’s 1500 metres at the World Athletics Indoor Championships.

The 30-year-old from Glasgow came in behind Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen to win Britain’s first indoor medal at the distance in 32 years.

“It feels really good,” he told BBC Sport. “A couple of weeks ago I came away really disappointed with the European indoors race and I came here with a point to prove, just to myself.

Neil Gourley celebrates finishing second in the men's 1500m final. | Getty Images

“It was a change in tactics today. It was a case of if you can’t beat him (Ingebrigtsen), join him. It worked out better today because it meant I fed off his momentum and I felt much better doing it that way. I just left a little too much to do in the home straight to catch him.”

Ingebrigtsen’s victory saw him complete the indoor double of 1500m and 3,000m in Nanjing.

There was also a bronze medal for Britain with Georgia Hunter Bell third in the women’s 1500m behind Ethiopians Gudaf Tsegay and Diribe Welteji.

Hunter Bell, who was disappointed to finish fourth at last year’s World Indoors in Glasgow, also finished fourth in the recent European Indoors in Apeldoorn after going into the race as favourite.

But she bounced back in Nanjing and said: “It feels amazing, I am so happy. I was feeling really motivated today and really inspired by the team’s performances so I am so, so, happy. Apeldoorn was the toughest loss of my career so far, I really went in thinking I could win so to come fourth I was absolutely devastated.

Bronze medalist Georgia Hunter Bell. | Getty Images

“I pretty much didn’t get out of bed the next day, I had to let myself mourn that one, but I think the mark of being a good athlete is when it goes wrong, learning from it and coming back. I worked really hard to get myself back mentally this week. I knew the physical stuff was there. I was sick the week of Apeldoorn, but I knew I could physically get back. It’s tough out there you know, it’s just you and yourself and you have to believe in yourself.”

Great Britain finished fourth in the medal table with four medals, including golds for Jeremiah Azu in the men’s 60m and Amber Anning in the women’s 400m.