Track was back on Friday night, with Scotland’s best delivering incredible performances at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco.

In only her second ‘post lockdown’ race, Laura Muir smashed both the Scottish and British 1000m records – the latter set by athletics legend Dame Kelly Holmes. At 2.30.82, Muir finished only slightly behind the winner, Kenyan Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon, who triumphed in a blistering, near world record time of 2.29.15.

Proof, as if it were needed, of Scotland’s current talent on the track, came in the form of Jemma Reekie, whose fourth place PB finish (2.31.11) also broke Holmes’ 21-year-old record (2.32.55). 

Muir’s victory was a turn of the tables after the last meet at Trieste, when Reekie beat her training partner over 800m. European Champion Muir said: “‘It was so great to be back. Racing a time like today gives me a lot of confidence going into an Olympic year. To do that in my second run, to run a British record … I’m really pleased with it.” 

Scot Eilish McColgan had less success on the night, finishing seventh in the 5000m (14.57.37). Brit Laura Weightman finished third in the same event (14.35.44), taking her to second in the British all-time rankings, past Jo Pavey and just below Paula Radcliffe. 

There was also delight for Jake Wightman on Friday night, as he broke his own Scottish 1500m record of 3.31.87 – set at Doha just last November – going below 3.30 for the first time to boot. 

Wightman’s third placed 3.29.47 PB finish – behind the world and European champions – pushes him up from seventh on the British all-time list past Seb Coe and Steve Cram to an amazing number two. The Scot now only has to beat Sir Mo Farah to make it to the top.

In other performances, Monaco proved a lucky place for Joshua Cheptegei, who smashed the 16-year-old world 5000m record by almost two seconds (12.35.36). The Ugandan also broke the 5km world record there earlier this year.

Image credit: scottishathletics