McColgan eyes LA marathon after ‘bittersweet’ Paris achievement

Eilish McColgan has her eyes on a fifth Olympics in 2028 after she became the first Scottish track and field athlete to compete in four Games.

The 33-year-old finished in a “disappointing” 15th-place in the 10,000m on Friday in a time of 31 minutes 20.51 seconds after the leading group kicked away from her halfway through.

However, those emotions were tempered by the fact she had all but given up on being able to run in Paris at all after knee surgery earlier this year.

“It’s bittersweet,” McColgan told BBC Sport Scotland. “I’m disappointed with my performance but there wasn’t really anything I could do. That was literally all I had.

“I’m proud, being the first athlete from Scotland to ever go to four Games, because that’s really difficult to do over a 12-year span, but it’s frustrating.

“I’d have liked to have finished my track career on a really positive moment, but you can’t expect miracles when you’ve only had five weeks training behind you.”

McColgan’s focus will now likely turn to road racing.

She made an aborted attempt to switch after winning Commonwealth Games gold and silver and European silver and bronze on the track in 2022, before she was bedeviled by injury.

But now she will try again, with a fifth Olympics in Los Angeles in her sights.

“LA is off the agenda in terms of track,” she confirmed. “It would realistically be a marathon.”

While that Games would be a farewell for McColgan, it might allow Megan Keith to exorcise a few demons after her Olympic debut ended with her being helped from the track by medical staff.

The 22-year-old from Inverness and Alessia Zarbo were cut adrift early and, after the French athlete pulled out, Keith ran most of the race on her own.

After being lapped by the rest of the field, she started her final circuit after everyone else had finished but was cheered round by the sympathetic crowd.

“That was the hardest 25 laps ever,” said Keith, who posted a time of 33:19.92. “I was happy to make the start line and even happier to make the finish line.

“Even though I came last, I’m proud to be here as an Olympian.”