Neil Gourley represented Scotland at the observe at Loughborough again in Would possibly 2013 (photograph by way of Bobby Gavin)
Sensible run lands skipper Neil his International Indoors medal second
Via Peter Jardine, Head of Communications
My past due father was once rather keen on the perceptive pronouncing ‘sometimes it is better to travel hopefully than to arrive’.
Dad can have been forward of his time all the ones a long time in the past as a result of he was once certainly speaking about psychological building lengthy prior to ‘enjoying the journey’ become the trendy parlance in this explicit theme.
Neil Gourley may neatly really feel he has accomplished each – the travelling confidently and the arriving, this is – as he made his as far back as Glasgow by means of flight connections from Nanjing, China, with International Indoors silver secreted in his luggage.
Stepping onto the Nanjing podium for the Males’s 1500m along a couple of medallist Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen and American Luke Houser was once an enormous second for the Scot named British group captain for the development.
It was once the arriving, in the event you like, after shut on 20 years of determination to endured development and a decision to triumph over setbacks alongside the best way.
Scroll via Neil’s occupation profile at the Energy of 10 site and you find his first effects seem there totally 19 years in the past . . . long ago in 2006.
As a primary 12 months U13 athlete with Giffnock North AC, he clocked 5.01 for the 1500m as he took his first steps at the aforementioned adventure.
‘The idea of me being captain of a GB and NI team at a global athletics event was alien to me as a kid,’ he stated in Nanjing.
‘In fact, being on the British team wasn’t truly at the radar in any respect in the ones early years. I didn’t even know if I’d be just right sufficient to run for Scotland again then.
‘I didn’t assume I’d get so far as I’ve however I’m vastly proud to have performed so. I’m overjoyed and thankful and that individuals at British Athletics felt they might give me the captaincy position for the 2025 International Indoors.’
Bellahouston Park in November 2012 and Neil at the U20 podium with Luke Traynor and David Vernon (photograph by way of Bobby Gavin)
Neil most certainly first crossed our personal radar in his mid-to-late teenagers by means of Scottish age staff championships and the Celtic International locations XC.
In November 2012, at U20 stage, he was once a bronze medallist on the Scottish Brief Path XC Champs at Bellahouston Park in his house the town of Glasgow. This was once even prior to Lindsays backed our Pass Nation Season.
Six months later in Would possibly 2013 he represented Scotland at the observe on the Loughborough Global – dressed in a fetching white Kukri Scotland vest.
A few years on and a bronze on the Ecu U23 Championships hinted at what may apply however even then the rollercoaster of his occupation started to spread when, two years later in Poland, he neglected out at the medals at his 2nd Ecu U23s tournament. He was once unquestionably one of the most favourites for that 2017 ultimate.
Mark Pollard and myself had been lucky sufficient to shuttle to Bydgoszcz (in UK Athletics roles) and joined Neil (and Kelsey Stewart) at the lengthy go back adventure.
It’s an abiding reminiscence – and an perception into his psychological power – that from Poland to Scotland he analysed that ultimate and resolved to paintings more difficult within the race for medals and PBs.
The knocks didn’t forestall there. At Glasgow 2019 on the Emirates, Neil appeared in nice form in qualifying at the Friday. Come the Sunday, he needed to withdraw from the general after being struck down by way of sickness.
He neglected the 2024 International Indoors in his personal yard, too, with an harm which for a irritating few weeks made even strolling tricky.
And but, throughout a length, Neil has represented GB and NI at a dozen primary championship occasions . . . and reached the general on 11 events. the only he neglected out on, in Oregon in 2022, was once by way of one centesimal of a 2nd and after having suffered from Covid.
That’s the very best abstract of his consistency when dressed in the vest and why mishap in Poland in 2017 now looks like a very long time in the past.
+++
Montage created by way of Morven Bruce
9 out of ten ain’t dangerous.
Gold for Jake Wightman and bronze for Laura Muir on the International Champs in Oregon in the summertime of 2022 felt vastly vital on the time. Jake had usurped Jakob whilst Laura gained her first outside international media.
Besides we didn’t relatively realise the medal streak that was once to apply for Scottish athletes.
8 arrived in Birmingham a few weeks later on the Commonwealth Video games and the Ecu Champs in Munich crowned off an implausible summer time.
In reality, previous to the hot Ecu Indoors, 8 out of 8 primary championships got here and went with no less than one Scot at the podium.
Apeldoorn noticed that run fall however Neil’s silver in Nanjing duly makes it 9 out of ten. Wow!!
Within the context of Scottish recreation, it’s beautiful ordinary and shines a gentle on a super cohort of athletes and coaches. Their dedication to laborious paintings (over years and years as famous above) has paid off.
Such is the extremely aggressive nature of observe and box, there may be completely no ensure it’s going to proceed.
However we will be able to however hope.
+++
Megan Keith and Callum Hawkins at Livingston (footage by way of Bobby Gavin)
Megan and Callum anchor their groups to golds at Nationwide Highway Relays
Neil Gourley got here throughout the Scottish athletics pathway like various others and so did Megan Keith and Callum Hawkins.
Looking at the ones two Olympians go back to their grassroots on the Nationwide Highway Relays at Livingston felt like a second to savour.
The joy unfold across the venue at St Margaret’s Academy and that passion simplest rose when people noticed them of their membership vests and started to procedure what may well be accomplished by way of Inverness Harriers and Kilbarchan AAC.
Group efforts put each inside putting distance of the race leaders for the remaining leg on Saturday – nevertheless it was once nonetheless extremely spectacular to overturn the ones deficits by means of elegant runs. And win golds for his or her buddies.
All of it added to the standing of the Nationwide Highway Relays and for that we’re grateful to all who entered.
There have been some distinguished golf equipment absent in both the lads’s or girls’s race. Or each. That may occur once in a while however there’s transparent proof that better numbers and extra intensity then creates higher pageant. That applies throughout observe and box, highway and move nation.
In Athletics Blogs Comms, we’re very a lot minded to present Scottish Nationwide Championship occasions as a lot profile and prominence as we will be able to (albeit once in a while relying at the sources we have now to be had).
We would like it to really feel vital. Robust access numbers lend a hand us permit you to in that regard.
+++
Tags:
Callum Hawkins, Megan Keith, Neil Gourley, International Indoors
