Laura Muir says it will be “really special” to compete in Glasgow at a home Commonwealth Games for the second time in her career.
The Scot was 21 when the city hosted the Games in 2014 and since then she has gone on to win multiple medals at major events, including silver in the 1500m at the Olympics in 2021, as well as gold at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 in the same distance.
Speaking to STV, she said: “I’m so excited. I’ve competed in a couple of Commonwealth Games and I was here in 2014 when it was at Hampden Park, but I didn’t think I’d have another home Commonwealth Games, so to be back here 12 years later is really exciting.”
Muir will be one of just a handful of Scottish athletes who competed in the 2014 Games.
She was in contention for a medal in the final of the 1500m before being clipped by another athlete.
Despite the disappointment from 12 years ago, she has fond memories of the passionate home crowd.
Muir said: “I just remember coming around that top bend and just hearing that roar and that Scottish support, you just can’t beat it at all.
“I look back to then and now and what I’ve achieved since then and it’s been such a whirlwind, lots of ups but lots of downs and that’s just life as an athlete.
“I’m so grateful for all the experience I’ve had and I’m so proud of all the achievements I’ve had on the track and it’s just really fun to come back and be able to have that experience again.”
She added: “It’s really exciting to know that the crowd is going to be there with lots of friends and family in the audience. It will be at Scotstoun this time round but it’ll be really special.”
The Scot will focus on the 5000m at Glasgow 2026 having won gold in the 1500m as well as bronze in the 800m at Birmingham 2022.
She said: “We’re just looking towards the future. This year we don’t have a global championships but there’s a world championships next year and the next Olympics in 2028 so we want to try and make me as strong as possible so it’s a little bit of an experiment year trying a few different things.”
On the challenges of stepping to the longer distance, she added: “I’m racing the 5000m so it’s a lot longer than what I’m used to and it’s a hard event. It’s going to be tough competition, but I want to push myself, and I think to get better at the 1500m I need to adapt and to try new things.”
A total of 39 athletes have been selected for Team Scotland including Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman, Eilish McColgan and Jemma Reekie.
The Commonwealth Games get under way in Glasgow from the July 23 to August 2.
Unlike in 2014, the Games this year will be slimmed down to just ten sports across four venues.
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