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Tokyo silver medallist Laura Muir saw herself comfortably through to the women’s 1500 metres semi-final after finishing second in her heat at Stade de France.
The Scottish athlete was the first Briton in action on the track on Tuesday morning and needed to land in the top six to book her spot.
She accomplished that in 3:58.91, seven one hundredths of a second behind Ethiopia’s heat winner Gudaf Tsegay.
Muir, taking part in her third Olympics, said: “Ultimately it was all about trying to qualify for the semi-finals without any hiccups. I did that and it felt really smooth.
“I’m not thinking about the final yet, it is all about the semi-final. It is so easy to get carried away.
“I’ve been here many times before and always made the final but I never took it for granted. All the focus is on reaching that final.”
She will be joined in Thursday’s semi-finals by Georgia Bell, who was crowned British 1500m women’s champion in June.
Bell clocked 4:00.29 after dropping down to fourth at the 1200m mark then surging up to second behind Ethiopian world silver medallist Diribe Welteji.
It was an Olympic debut for Bell, an elite runner at junior level who had left the sport, and was working a full-time job in cybersecurity when the Covid lockdown hit.
Itching to get out of the house, she laced up a pair of shoes again and after a few Parkruns she was convinced she still had the speed.
Bell called up her old coach Trevor Painter – who also looks after Monday night’s gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson – and started to take the sport seriously again.
Bell, who was born in Paris, said: ” I got no sleep last night between Keely’s gold medal and trying to prepare myself for today. She was absolutely amazing and she is so inspiring.
“I just wanted to make it quick-ish, so I was happy that Linden (Hall) took it out. It was all about staying out of trouble and making sure I’d qualified. It was nice smooth running so I am happy with that.
“The track felt great but it’s more about the atmosphere, the crowd roared me on. I hope I get to race with the French girl soon, then you get extra shouts.
“I came as a spectator the other night and it was amazing, so I am so happy I could get out there and race.”
Revee Walcott-Nolan will have to fight her way out of the repechage round after finishing eighth from heat three.
She said: “I felt so good today, so I am just really annoyed with how that went.
“I think I just got caught up in a few too many clips and it just took it out of me because I’m so much better than that performance today. I’m gutted that I have to come back again tomorrow but I am glad I have another chance.
“I think it would have been tough for me to go through as a fastest loser today as the time wasn’t that quick so I am grateful for the repechage round in that sense, but I also really didn’t want to come back tomorrow.
“The atmosphere was so good, the track was so nice and conditions were good, I just didn’t run very well.”
Victoria Ohuruogu needed a first place finish to escape her own repechage round and clocked a season’s best 50.59 seconds to see herself through to the women’s 400 metres semi-final.
