Olympic place 'pretty special' for Gourley

Neil Gourley says sealing an Olympic place is "pretty special" after an "especially challenging" year.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a comfortable 1500m win at the UK Athletics Championships to make sure of his Paris 2024 place.

In a slow race, Gourley pulled away from George Mills on the home straight to finish in three minutes 37:67 seconds.

The Scot had missed the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March through injury.

"It's going to be pretty special, it already kind of is," he told Scottish Athletics.

"Three years ago, I tore my calf a couple of times in the lead up to the Olympic trials and that killed that dream.

"This year was quite tough. This year's been especially challenging. There were times when I didn't think this was possible."

World champion Josh Kerr will join fellow Scot Gourley and Mills in the 1500m team.

Already assured of his place in Paris, Kerr chose to race over 800m in Manchester and fell in the final straight after a heavy collision with Elliot Giles.

Jake Wightman, the 2022 world champion over 1500m, was granted a medical exemption after pulling out with a "minor" calf injury.

With Ben Pattison and Max Burgin finishing first and second in the 800m, Wightman must hope for a discretionary place in the event he won a European silver medal in two years ago.

Laura Muir ensured she will be competing at a third Olympics but had to dig deep to finish second over 1500m.

The silver medallist from Tokyo in 2021, was well beaten in a sprint finish by Georgia Bell.

Jemma Reekie was also second in the 800m, behind 17-year-old rising star Phoebe Gill.

Those two will join Olympic and world silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson at the Games.

On Saturday, discus thrower Nick Percy clinched his Team GB place after finishing runner-up to Chukwuemeka Osammor.