'Not a consolation' - Wightman targets 800m success

Jake Wightman does not regard the 800m as "a consolation" as he prepares to compete at the Paris Olympics.

Most of the 30-year-old's medal successes have come over 1500m, including his 2022 World Championship gold.

However, he was a silver medallist over 800m at the 2022 European Championships.

"I've been able to run well over 800m in the past, but not necessarily at championships because I've always been focused on the 1500m," he told BBC Scotland.

"What I've wanted to do previously is double up if I could, but the state of British Athletics means that we're so good at both that it's hard to make a team in one.

"It's not a consolation, it's a good opportunity still to show that I can be competitive on the global stage over this distance now, so I've just had to change my approach to it a little bit because there are slightly different tweaks that you have to make going over half the distance.

"My attitude towards it is still the same. I'm hoping that I can have a good outcome from it and it's more to add to my CV if I can do it over a different distance now."

Injuries have restricted Wightman's medal hopes since his world success in Eugene, Oregon two years ago.

"You don't lose the qualities you had," he added. "If you're not out there performing and showing what qualities you have, people forget about it.

"It's a nicer thing for me to be able to come in under the radar and not have this pressure of everyone expecting me to go out and win or be the best in the world.

"When I went to Eugene, I didn't have that at all. I went knowing that I could go and do something, but nobody expected it at all.

"To now go back into that situation is hopefully like a blessing."