Laura Muir of Great Britain
Laura Muir of Great Britain

Muir anchors Great Britain to victory in Great Edinburgh Cross Country


Double European indoor champion Laura Muir anchored Great Britain to victory in the mixed team relay event in the Great Edinburgh Cross Country.

Muir took the baton in third place behind Europe and Belgium, but wasted no time in hitting the front and powered away to a comfortable win around the 4x1km Holyrood Course.

The British quartet of Tom Marshall, Alexandra Bell, Adam Clarke and Muir finished in 11 minutes 33 seconds, seven seconds ahead of Belgium, with Europe third and Ireland fourth.

Scotland A were fifth ahead of a Scotland B team, with the United States seventh and England in eighth.

Muir, 24, told BBC Sport: ""When Adam came round close to the front I thought I've got to work really hard and make sure.

"I got to the front and left a little bit in the tank till the very end and put the foot down in the last 200 (metres) and came away with the win so really pleased."

Muir's final year of veterinary studies mean she is unable to contest the Commonwealth Games in Australia, but she added: "We've been lucky that the vet school's been so supportive and my coach Andy (Young) as well, he's been by my side every step of the way.

"We planned years in advance, we knew I wasn't going to do the Commonwealths quite a while ago. It's just a matter of getting it all done now this year, hopefully winning a medal in the World Indoors, graduating as a vet and then hopefully a medal in the Europeans as well."

Britain's Emelia Gorecka finished just two seconds behind winner and defending champion Yasemin Can in the women's 6km race, with Phoebe Law sixth and Verity Ockendon in eighth.

Gorecka, 23, said: "I can't not be happy. As the race got going I thought I could be top five or top three and I was second and so close to first.

"It's a world-class field and I'm absolutely over the moon to be second and by such a small margin as well."

American Leonard Korir also made it back-to-back wins in the men's 8km race, finishing three seconds clear of Europe's Kaan Kigen Ozbilen, with Britain's Ben Connor in fifth.

In the team competition, Europe ran out commanding winners ahead of Great Britain and the United States.

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