6th August 2024

Muir and Bell safely navigate heats at Paris 2024 Olympics

Laura Muir safely navigated her way into the women’s 1500m semi-finals on a positive morning of British track action at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Tokyo silver medallist Muir (Steve Vernon, Dundee Hawkhill) finished second in her heat in a time of 3:58.91 and will be joined in the next round by Georgia Bell (Trevor Painter, Belgrave), who also finished second in 4:00.29.

“Ultimately it was all about trying to qualify for the semi-finals without any hiccups,” said Muir.

“I did that and it felt really smooth.

“I’m not thinking about the final yet, it is all about the semi-final.

“It is so easy to get carried away – I’ve been here many times before and always made the final but I never took it for granted.

“All the focus is on reaching that final.”

Bell, who won European silver in Rome earlier this year, looked similarly calm and composed as she got her Olympic debut off to the perfect start.

“It was all about staying out of trouble and making sure I’d qualified,” she said.

“It was nice smooth running so I am happy with that.

“The track felt great but it’s more about the atmosphere, the crowd roared me on. I hope I get to race with the French girl soon, then you get extra shouts.

“I came as a spectator the other night and it was amazing, so I am so happy I could get out there and race.”

Revee Walcott-Nolan (Thomas Dreißigacker; Luton) will have to race again in a repechage to book her semi-final spot after an eighth-place finish in her heat.

She cut the tape in a time of 4:06.44 to finish 1.48s off the automatic qualification places.

“I felt so good today, so I am just really annoyed with how that went,” she said.

“I think I just got caught up in a few too many clips and it just took it out of me because I’m so much better than that performance today.

“I’m gutted that I have to come back again tomorrow but I am glad I have another chance.

“The atmosphere was so good, the track was so nice and conditions were good, I just didn’t run very well.”

Later in the morning, Victoria Ohuruogu (Newham and Essex Beagles) ran a season’s best to win her women’s 400m repechage and advance to the semi-finals.

Ohuruogu, who clocked a time of 50.59s, said: “It took me a while to get my racing legs, but to get a season’s best at the Olympics just means we are going in the right direction.

“I have run well from lane eight in the past so it was a good chance to really run my own race.

“I could be aggressive and I didn’t see anybody so I went for it.”