Eilish McColgan finished tenth in her first-ever major championship final.
Despite a shin injury disrupting her training in the build-up to Moscow, the 22-year-old British champion got within two seconds of the Scottish 3000m steeplechase record she set earlier in the week and afterwards said she remained determined to break into world-class times in the event.
With close on world record pace set in the opening laps, McColgan was quickly detached from a leading group of half a dozen African women and eventually needed her kick to pick up three places in the home straight to finish 10th in 8:37.33, the gold going to Milcah Cheywa of Kenya in 9:11.65.
Afterwards, the 23-year-old Hawkhill Harrier said she was “disappointed” with her placing, but realistic about her overall performance at the championships.
“If someone had said a couple of weeks ago that I would have made that final and finished tenth in the world I would never have believed them,” she said.
“But after running it, I’m a bit disappointed. Now that I’ve come tenth, I wish I had come eighth. I wish I’d got further up the field.
“I felt really good in my heat and felt strong, but today I went through good and bad patches and just couldn’t push on. But I really can’t complain. I knew I was going to be tired after the lack of actual running I’ve done. And considering I’ve just done two steeplechases in the space of three days, it’s more than I can ask for.”
The gap which developed between the frontrunners and McColgan’s group was established as early as the opening lap. The Dundee Olympian said it was not something that discouraged her.
“These girls have got far superior times to me so, to be honest, that’s always going to happen. I’m not stupid enough to think I can go with them. There’s a big, big difference in performance. All that I can hope is that I keep improving in the years ahead.
“The world record of eight minutes 58 seconds was set a couple of years ago, and this year the girls are running around nine mins 10s, and that’s where the medals are.
“I’ve got one more race this year and I want to get under the 9.30 barrier. I think it’s achievable. My flat times are quick enough. I just need to throw myself into racing.”
McColgan admitted losing time clearing the 28 barriers and seven water jumps over the distance.
“Yeah, 100%. I must be the only athlete in that race that doesn’t train over barriers. I get a lot of criticism for my hurdling and water jumping, but the simple reason for my not being able to do it is that I’ve been injured.
“A couple of years ago it was my foot (fracture) and I had to protect that, and this year I’ve had a shin injury. So with one thing after the other, I’ve not been given the opportunity to train over barriers. “
Her single-mindedness rekindles memories of her mother’s barnstorming world title triumph in the women’s 10,000m in Tokyo in 1991.
She said her parents have been supportive and understanding and that “they’ll be proud” of the progress she’s made. There is also a family pecking order to sort out, though…
“I think my dad made the world champs, but never made the final, and obviously my mum won a world title. So I’m one ahead of my dad now, but a long way from catching my mum!”
Meanwhile, Jessica Ennis-Hill doesn’t have a monopoly on double-barrel names in the heptathlon world.
GB & NI’s Katarina Johnson-Thomson, a bubby and likeable Liverpudlian, last night put in a superb performance to finish fifth in her first world final.
The 20-year-old’s total score of 6449, with included four personal bests, was also an overall lifetime best by nearly 200 points and left her just 28 points short of the bronze medal position.
Andrew Osagie produced a finish out of the hat in the men’s 800m final. Osagie was eighth and last until a second wind and a storming finish promoted him to fifth in 1.44.36.
Daegu silver medallist Hannah England booked a place in the final of the women’s 1500m, finishing in 4:06.80, the slowest time of the semi-final qualifiers.
But Day 4 of the IAAF World Championships belonged to the legendary Yelena Isinbaeva, the surprise winner of the women’s pole vault title, which led to bedlam around the Luzhniki Stadium long into the night.