Laura Muir has set her sights on Commonwealth gold after being named among the first Team Scotland athletes selected for Birmingham 2022.
Muir, Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman, Eilish McColgan, Jemma Reekie and Andy Butchart have all been selected on the back of their performances at the Tokyo Olympics.
Muir, who secured silver in the women’s 1500m in Tokyo, competed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow seven years ago and, having missed Gold Coast 2018 to concentrate on her veterinary medicine exams, she is gunning for gold in a city where she claimed world indoor silver and bronze medals three years ago.
She told teamscotland.com: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been selected to represent Team Scotland at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“Representing Scotland is always a very special honour and my aim is very much to go for gold next summer.
“Birmingham is a city which holds some great memories for me, including winning silver and bronze medals at the world indoors three years ago, so I’m really looking forward to the Games.”
Kerr is set to make his Team Scotland debut in Birmingham after this summer becoming the first British man in 33 years to secure an Olympic medal in the 1500m.
He shattered his personal best to take bronze in a time of three minutes 29.05 seconds – a new Scottish record and only a quarter of a second outside of Sir Mo Farah’s British best.
Kerr said: “I’m really proud to have been selected to represent Team Scotland next summer at my first Commonwealth Games.
“Representing Scotland has always been a dream for me and I’m really pleased that I get to do it at a Games so close to home.
“I have no doubt the atmosphere will be electric and I’m looking forward to bringing a medal home to Scotland.”
McColgan, who will compete at her third Commonwealth Games, this season erased Paula Radcliffe’s long-standing British 5,000m record in Oslo before registering her best Olympic result in Tokyo with ninth place in the 10,000m.
The Dundonian has carried that form onto the road, placing third on the British all-time list for both 10,000m and the half-marathon in recent weeks.
She said: “For us in Scotland, the Commonwealth Games are important. It’s special, it’s unique, it’s different and something we all want to do.
“The standard in Scotland at distance events is getting stronger and stronger.
“A lot of us have grown up together – that’s part of what makes being part of Team Scotland a little bit special.
“We have travelled the length and breadth of the country together, grown up together and we’re still here, still running fast and the standard is continuing to improve.”
Wightman is named for a third Games appearance after winning a 1500m bronze on the final night of track and field at Gold Coast 2018.
Having seen long-time friend and Edinburgh club mate Kerr take his Scottish record in Tokyo, he will be keen to renew that rivalry.
Reekie, who races over 800m and 1500m and will be competing at her first Commonwealth Games, has risen from European junior champion in 2017 to fourth place at her first Olympics in Tokyo.
Another making his Team Scotland debut in Birmingham will be Butchart, who was forced to withdraw through injury having been selected for the Gold Coast.
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