JEMMA REEKIE will pick herself up, dust herself down and then be ready to go for the Commonwealth Games after her world championships were blown apart.
Rather than hunting a medal in tonight’s women’s 800 metres final in Oregon, the Scots star will jet home today to regroup while British rival Keely Hodgkinson flies the flag alone.
It came after Reekie – who has admitted to “good days and bad days” since contracting glandular fever in February – finished fifth in Friday evening’s semi-final in a time of 2:00.43, with Alex Bell and Ellie Baker also eliminated.
“It’s been a tough old year with a lot of heartbreak,” she said. “I’m a tough cookie and I’m still determined to make the rest of my season better. [I’ve been] searching for my sparkle since glandular fever.
“But time is key and I’m going have to be patient a little longer. I’m excited to focus on Commonwealths now and hopefully go out there and perform.”
Hodgkinson, silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympics with Reekie in fourth, progressed impressively to tee up a rematch with America’s golden girl Athing Mu.
Wigan’s young wonder won her semi in 1:58.51 and the British record holder feels good about her form.
But she said: “There is a lot of talent in that field, so plenty of us will be battling for a medal, so it’ll be a really exciting race to be a part of, probably one of the races of the Championships.”
Mu, her fellow 20-year-old, was victorious in her semi in 1:58.12. The Stateside star, like Hodgkinson, was a relative unknown before their one-two in Japan. Their duel on the final night in Eugene should be something special.
“I cannot wait for the final,” the Englishwoman said. “I think Athing is going to be strong, she is a good competitor. But I do not think that the gold medal is already on anyone’s neck. There is a good five of us battling for the medal. So it is going to be very stormy race.”
The first world record of these championships fell in spectacular style. For the fourth time inside 13 months, Sydney McLaughlin rewrote the history books in the women’s 400m hurdles, surging far beyond her rivals to claim gold in 50.68 secs.
It obliterated the time of 51.41 set at last month’s American trials on the same track and was 0.78 secs quicker than the mark that took her to the Olympic title last August.
The 22-year-old said: “The time is absolutely amazing and the sport is getting faster and faster. Just figuring out what barriers can be broken, I only get faster from here.”
Dutchwoman Femke Bol secured silver in 53.27 with deposed world champion Dalilah Muhammad landing bronze.
In Tokyo, McLaughlin’s brilliant run was overshadowed by Karsten Warholm’s astonishing world record in the men’s 400m hurdles final, 24 hours before. But bar something unexpected this weekend, her triumph in Eugene will be the signature moment of a championships which has been notable for patchy crowds and a degree of indifference from the American public.
The star of the show, on home turf, will hear none of that downside
“I am always happy, always grateful to be here, but sometimes you’ve got to put your game face on it and focus,” McLaughlin said. “That’s all that is. Having my friends, my family here, being on the same time zone as in LA. Sleeping on a bed that’s comfortable in an Airbnb. All that added together, eating food that I am familiar with. All of it played a role in my time today.
“I am just really happy that we got this opportunity herein front of this amazing crowd.”
Tonight, Marc Scott shoulders UK hopes in the men’s 5,000m final. Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei will be chasing a double after his 10,000m gold while Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen seeks redemption for his defeat to Scottish star Jake Wightman in the 1500m last week.
