Glaswegian wins big at the Indoor World Championships
Scotland's Neil Gourley was thrilled after winning a silver medal in the men's 1500 metres at the World Athletics Indoor Championships.
The 30-year-old from Glasgow came in behind Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen to win Britain's first indoor medal at the distance in 32 years.
READ MORE: Drivers to use caution on busy motorway following a collision
He said to BBC Sport: 'It feels really good.
'A couple of weeks ago I came away really disappointed with the European indoors race and I came here with a point to prove, just to myself.
'It was a change in tactics today. It was a case of if you can't beat him (Ingebrigtsen), join him.
'It worked out better today because it meant I fed off his momentum and I felt much better doing it that way. I just left a little too much to do in the home straight to catch him.'
Ingebrigtsen's victory saw him complete the indoor double of 1500m and 3,000m in Nanjing.
READ MORE: Man rushed to hospital after being hit by a car on Glasgow road
There was also a bronze medal for Britain with Georgia Hunter Bell third in the women's 1500m behind Ethiopians Gudaf Tsegay and Diribe Welteji.
Hunter Bell, who was disappointed to finish fourth at last year's World Indoors in Glasgow, also finished fourth in the recent European Indoors in Apeldoorn after going into the race as favourite.
But she bounced back in Nanjing and said: 'It feels amazing, I am so happy.
'I was feeling really motivated today and really inspired by the team's performances so I am so, so, happy.
'Apeldoorn was the toughest loss of my career so far, I really went in thinking I could win so to come fourth I was absolutely devastated.
'I pretty much didn't get out of bed the next day, I had to let myself mourn that one, but I think the mark of being a good athlete is when it goes wrong, learning from it and coming back.
'I worked really hard to get myself back mentally this week. I knew the physical stuff was there. I was sick the week of Apeldoorn, but I knew I could physically get back.
'It's tough out there you know, it's just you and yourself and you have to believe in yourself.'
Great Britain finished fourth in the medal table with four medals, including golds for Jeremiah Azu in the men's 60m and Amber Anning in the women's 400m.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
‘Of course it's better': Bayer Leverkusen player backs Florian Wirtz and explains why he wants his teammate to go to Liverpool
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Alonso's Leverkusen are aiming for a sensational Bundesliga title . | Credit: Getty Images . | Credit: Getty Images Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz is the hottest property on the European transfer market and his departure is imminent. Advertisement Liverpool look likely to get their man for a very hefty transfer fee, seeing off competition from Premier League rivals Manchester City as well as Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. Bayern tends to be the natural destination for Germany's best young players at other clubs but 22-year-old Wirtz is understood to be bound for Anfield when the Reds can finalise a deal with Leverkusen and the player himself. 'He's definitely in the top 10 in the world' Florian Wirtz | Credit: Getty Images Understandably, there are those at Leverkusen who won't be upset to see Wirtz break the pattern of Bayern hoovering up German talent. Spanish midfielder Aleix Garcia, who joined Leverkusen last summer and had the briefest of Premier League experiences with Man City, has backed his teammate's Liverpool choice. Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Aleix Garcia | Credit: Getty Images '[Jonathan] Tah has gone to Bayern, and if Wirtz were to leave, they'd be almost unstoppable,' Garcia told AS via Sport Witness. Advertisement 'I think he'll go to England and make a difference. I wish him the best of luck because, apart from being a star, he's a very good guy. 'I spent a year with him and I think he's dazzling. He has superior quality and is a game-changer. He's also driven to improve every day and always be the best. 'He's definitely in the top 10 in the world. I don't know if he's in the top five but he's definitely in the top 10. He has spectacular talent and a hunger to keep improving. Jonathan Tah and Xabi Alonso both left Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season | Credit: Getty Images 'It's better to not have him as a rival.' Garcia signed for the then-champions from Girona last June, joining Wirtz and Tah in an unsuccessful title defence under former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso. Advertisement After their historic unbeaten league season Die Werkself claimed a comfortable second place in 2024-25 but finished 13 points behind Bayern. Alonso has since departed for Real Madrid and new coach Erik ten Hag will have to contend with the loss of Tah and Wirtz as Leverkusen's success inevitably begins to result in their top talent getting plucked. Midfielder Garcia will be eager to be pivotal in Ten Hag's plan to navigate the transition. He spent three years at Girona after short spells in Romania and at Eibar, having been sold to Dinamo Bucharest by City in 2020. Now 27, Garcia broke into the Spanish national team picture as a Girona player and featured in 28 Bundesliga games for Leverkusen in 2024-25.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Birmingham aim to reach Premier League next year
Birmingham City chairman Tom Wagner says the club are targeting successive promotions and reaching the Premier League next year "is certainly the goal". The League One champions broke the EFL record for most points in a season in 2024-25, and the American businessman told BBC Sport he wants the club to return to the top flight "as quickly as we can". Advertisement With plans for a new stadium handed a major boost on Tuesday, after the government confirmed investment in local transport links, Wagner believes the Blues will be "highly competitive" in the Championship. And he says that is because the club's commercial revenues will be "very close to, if not in line with" those of rivals in receipt of parachute payments. Leicester City, Southampton and Ipswich Town will each benefit from almost £50m next season, having been relegated from the Premier League. Birmingham spent £25m after dropping down from the Championship last year, and Wagner vowed to be "very active in the transfer market" this summer in a bid to build on the progress under "exceptional" manager Chris Davies. Advertisement He added he is open to the idea of clubs playing some cup matches overseas as a means of growing an international fanbase. 'Unique opportunity' A "thrilled" Wagner was speaking after his hopes for a new 62,000-seat stadium to replace St Andrews took a significant step forward, with government funding for a new tramline to a planned £3bn 'Sports Quarter' in the east of the city. The club's owners, US investment firm Knighthead Capital - which Wagner founded - wants to build a 125-acre sports and leisure complex on abandoned land in Bordesley Green, and have been trying to persuade ministers to grant the West Midlands billions of pounds to fund new transport links for the regeneration project. Advertisement Now that has been achieved, he says the aim is for the "transformative" Sports Quarter - which will also include a 20,000-seat arena, hotel and training complex for the club's men's, women's and academy teams - to be open by 2030. "We needed the transport links to ensure the site was viable," said Wagner. "This will be an entertainment venue unlike many others in the world." "We have a unique opportunity. If you look across western Europe you'd be hard pressed to find another city with that much land available... where a project of this magnitude could be created. Advertisement "This will be a venue that is used 365 days a year, we'll create 8,500 jobs... the goal would be to host a whole range of international events, not solely football but American football, rugby." Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady is a minority owner of Birmingham City. When asked if there was a risk that the new stadium would result in higher ticket prices for supporters, Wagner said: "If you price out the fans that are here you have different people sitting in the stands, you lose the singing, you lose the passion and then you've lost your product. "We have to remember this is a club of the people and that means the solution for growing commercial revenue is not solved through ticket prices, it's solved through making a better product." Advertisement Last year, Birmingham City's former chief executive Garry Cook said it would be "a great idea" if they played a league match against fellow US-owned club Wrexham on American soil. "I don't think that it makes sense to do it necessarily with regular-season matches," said Wagner. When asked what he thought about potentially playing some domestic cup matches in the US, he said: "It's something that has to be thought of. "When you think about the top-tier clubs in the Premier League, they're competing globally, which means that they have to have global fans and global-scale revenue, and if that means playing some matches overseas to create more following and revenue for the club I think that's a good thing. Advertisement "You have to find a way to do it that doesn't take away from your local community, so it's very much a balancing act. There's a very fine line that needs to be walked there, but I think for the top clubs it's something that has to be seriously considered. "Perhaps there's a different tournament, or something that happens that allows for that, maybe at a different point in time in the season. There's a whole series of ways that could be pursued beyond simply the pre-season tours." When asked what assurances he could give to fans concerned about the number of English clubs now controlled by US investors, Wagner said: "The reason Americans are drawn to investing here is because it's English football. "If we 'Americanise' it, then it's lost everything that drew people here in the first place."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Manchester United Are Keen On Recruiting This Brentford Winger: What Will He Add To Amorim's Team?
Manchester United Are Keen On Recruiting This Brentford Winger: What Will He Add To Amorim's Team? In a recent post on X, Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas mentioned that Manchester United are keen on recruiting Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo. It has been stated that the Red Devils have registered their interest in acquiring the services of the Cameroonian wide player this summer. Mbeumo's Impressive Form In The Premier League Mbeumo enjoyed a great campaign at Brentford recently as he was responsible for putting in a run of productive displays for them in the Premier League. The Cameroonian talent scored 20 goals and grabbed nine assists in 42 matches for the Bees last season across all competitions. Advertisement The 25-year-old performed well to average 2.08 shots per 90 minutes in Premier League football. He also kept 43% of his attempts on target. However, Mbeumo needs to work on improving his ball distribution in the opposition half after completing just 66.1% of his attempted passes in top-flight football (stats via Mbeumo is under contract at the English club until the end of next season which could open the door for Man United to sign him on a cut-price deal this summer. WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – MAY 25: Bryan Mbeumo of Brentford during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Brentford FC at Molineux on May 25, 2025 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by) What Will Mbeumo Add To Manchester United Boss Ruben Amorim's Team? Mbeumo excels at finding some space for himself to get some strikes in at goal. He has proven himself to be a good finisher in the final third and can create a few inviting chances for his teammates from the wide areas. Advertisement The Cameroonian sensation is a decent dribbler with the ball as well but needs to work on improving his link-up play up top. He mainly plays as a right-winger but can also function as a centre-forward if required. Mbeumo would add more quality and depth to Man United head coach Ruben Amorim's frontline. He has what it takes to nail down a regular first-team spot at Old Trafford next season. At 25, Mbeumo has his peak years ahead of him which makes him an excellent option for the Red Devils to consider in this summer transfer window. He might even help Man United get back to challenging for a European place in the Premier League over the next few years. With all things considered, Amorim should focus on going all out to bring Mbeumo to the Theatre of Dreams this off-season.
