Laura Muir believes rivals fear her in 1500m World Championship final
Muir runs in the 1500m final at Hayward Field on Monday.
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Your support makes all the difference.Laura Muir insists her rivals know she is a threat ahead of their showdown in Eugene.
The Scot is chasing her first medal at an outdoor World Athletics Championships ahead of Monday’s 1500m final in Oregon.
Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, who beat Muir to gold in Tokyo last year, is favourite to regain the title she lost to Sifan Hasan in Doha in 2019.
Muir finally landed Olympic silver last summer having previously finished seventh in Rio when she was third with 150m to go.
She also finished fourth at the 2017 World Championships and fifth in Doha three years ago but believes her opponents now see her as a danger.
“I feel like I’ve been there for a few years but just not got on the podium but they know I’m around,” said the four-time European Indoor champion.
“Look at Rio compared to Tokyo, you can see I’ve learnt a lot. She (Kipyegon) is getting faster, I’m getting faster. It’s hard but you have to just to focus on yourself and what your strengths and weaknesses are.
“I just love what I do and for me that’s everything, regardless if I get medals or not – although medals are great.”
Muir came second in her semi-final in four minutes 01.78 seconds at Hayward Field on Saturday.
It was quicker than Kipyegon’s time of four minutes 03.98 seconds in her semi but Muir is well aware of what will be required in the final.
I feel like I’ve been there for a few years but just not got on the podium but they know I’m around
“It depends if someone takes it out gun to tape. Regardless how it goes you have to be in 3.54 or 3.55 shape to medal,” said the 29-year-old.
“Whether it will be run in that time I don’t know but that’s the sort of shape you’ve got to be in and I’m very close.”
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