16 August 2023 , 08:19
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Laura Muir has ended a summer of discontent by finding a new coach and being named GB team captain for the World Championships.
The Scottish 1500m star last night opened up on perhaps the most challenging period of her glittering career, having split with long-time coach Andy Young in March, been beaten in two races by British rivals and left visibly upset after losing her national title.
Six weeks on she has the spring back in her step after linking up with new coach Steve Vernon and smashing Zola Budd’s 1985 British mile record.
“The last six months, I've learnt the most about myself that I have in my entire life,” she said. “It's been a roller coaster. But we're at a high point now. I'm very happy.”
Muir’s resurgence comes in the wake of well-meaning advice from Mirror columnist Sally Gunnell, in which the Olympic legend stressed the need for her to feel “settled and happy” as an athlete. “To enjoy the environment you’re in.”
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Muir agreed: “Happiness is the secret to everything. If you're a happy person, you'll be a successful person. It sounds simple, but it's so important.”
Muir is beaten into second place by Katie Snowdon at British Championships in July (British Athletics via Getty Imag)She had worked with Young since 2011, winning European and Commonwealth titles and medals at the Olympics and Worlds.
But it ended in acrimony and the 30-year old admitted: “When I left Andy I didn't have a plan going forward, I just knew any situation was better than the situation I was in.
“I didn't want to jump into anything straightaway, because it's a massive decision … being with previous coach for 12 years.
Mirror columnist and Olympic legend Sally Gunnerll (Getty)“Steve was overseeing things for me and we just clicked so I asked if he could be my coach.
"Physically I think it's always been there this summer. There's no reason why, on any race day, I couldn't have run incredibly well. But mentally it was taking its toll a couple of times.
“Just having a coach and having that reassurance has been really, really helpful. I'm in a very good mindset now, excited for the rest of my career."
Muir wins her third European Indoor 1500m title in Istanbul in March before splitting with long-time coach Andy Young (Getty Images for European Athlet)Muir added: “I've discovered a lot of things that we can change, to get so much fitter and stronger. So I'm very optimistic about the worlds. I want to win a medal.
"I’m in the shape of my life just now. I’m very confident going in.”
She will draw from a decade of world championship experiences for her team speech ahead of Saturday’s opening session in Hungary.
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Muir on her way to winning World Championship bronze behind Faith Kipyegon in last year's 1500m final in Oregon (PA)”I'm going to talk about what has helped me through my career in the hope it can help the team, regardless of what stage they're at,” she said.
“Because if I could tell myself stuff a decade ago that I know now, I think it would have made that journey a little easier.”
Laura Muir and Sir Andy Murray have something in common other than nationality.
Kipyegon wins again, this time at 2017 Worlds in London (Rex Features)Murray has achieved greatness in the same era as legends Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
So, too, albeit to a lesser extent, has fellow Scot Muir who has won world and Olympic medals racing Faith Kipyegon and Sifan Hassan.
Hassan showed her brilliance to win the London Marathon in April after twice stopping. The same Hassan who has World and Olympic golds over 1500 metres and 5000m.
Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic ahead of 2022 Laver Cup gala dinner (Getty Images for Laver Cup)Kipyegon is no less classy, in fact she is arguably the greatest female athlete of the moment, having set 1500m and 5000m world records this summer.
Muir said: “She’s amazing, and for the sport as well. It really is an honour to ... I would say run alongside her but I'm not actually that close to her!
“You always want to go into championships aiming to be as successful as possible but when she's there that makes that quite difficult."
Even though she reckons to be in the “shape of her life”, Muir concedes that in this elite company that might not be enough.
“You can be in the fastest shape you've ever been in, but your competitors can be just as fast,” she said.
“Never say never but if there's going to be any favourite in the championships, I think Faith’s the one, out of all the events.”