LONDON: Britain’s Neil Gourley said it was his turn to win 1500-metre gold at the Tokyo World Championships after taking silver at this month’s World Indoors in Nanjing, though he knows dethroning Jakob Ingebrigtsen will be no easy task.

Ingebrigtsen clinched gold in 3:38.79 seconds in China, with Scot Gourley pushing him closest, taking silver in 3:39.07 after battling to stay in contention when Ingebrigtsen surged ahead.

Gourley, 30, said he was ready to take on the challenge of dethroning the Norwegian.

“It sounds like my turn, doesn’t it? I’m certainly going with that ambition,” he told the BBC. “It’s going to be incredibly challenging with the level globally right now but I’m looking to go to Tokyo and take my turn on the top of the podium.”

The Tokyo worlds will take place from Sept 13-21.

Gourley added that he was mentally stronger now after overcoming a tough period with mental and physical health issues during last year’s World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

“Twelve months ago I wasn’t in a great place mentally or physically. I was quite upset watching the World Indoors happen here in Glasgow because it really would have been special to do it in my home city,” he said. “Sometimes these things, although they’re tough to take at the time, can create a bit of mental fortitude that I was able to call on this weekend.”—Reuters

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2025