• Double European Indoor champion confirms she is to race over 3000m at the SPAR British Athletics Indoor Championships
• Tickets available at https://www.britishathletics.org.uk/events-and-tickets/british-athletics-indoor-championships/

Double European Indoor champion and five-time British record holder Laura Muir (coach: Andy Young, club: Dundee Hawkhill) today confirmed she will compete in the 3000m at next month’s SPAR British Athletics Indoor Championships (Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 February).

Due to be held at Arena Birmingham, Muir will race in the straight final on Saturday 17 February, where she will look to claim both her first British title over 3000m as well as securing her spot on the British team ahead of March’s IAAF World Indoor Championships.

“I’m looking forward to racing the 3000m next month in Birmingham. Training has been going really over the longer distances and the 3000m on February 17th will form part of my preparations for the upcoming World Indoor Championships in the same venue a couple of weeks later,” said Muir.

“If I come away with the victory in Birmingham it will complete the full middle distance set, having previously won the 800m and 1500m at the championships in recent years,” said Muir.

With fellow Scots Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall, Dundee Hawkhill) and Steph Twell (Geoff Wightman, Aldershot, Farnham & District) having also accepted their invitations for the event, Muir knows nothing is a given when it comes to competing at the championships – which act as the trials for the world indoors – in a month’s time.

“To be a British champion is a really big honour. I take great pride in winning the title even more so now competition is really tough in women’s endurance events. We saw that strength last year with the amount of girls who ran qualifying times for 800m, 1500m and the 5000m for the World Championships in London.

“To be a British champion in our events, you have to produce something special and be one of the best in the world, so it’s always a fight to reach the top of the podium. There should be a lot of depth at the trials so it will be exciting for everyone.”

Muir is a three-time British indoor champion, two of which have come over 1500m (2013 and 2015), with another in the 800m following success back in 2014. Looking back to the springboard that 2013’s title gave her, the 24-year-old added:

“I remember it well – it was probably the first big win of my career, and I went on to run at the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg the following month which was my first senior international for the British team and a big occasion for me.

“I have very fond memories from the event and it is going to be great to compete at the new venue in Birmingham for this year’s championships.”

British Athletics’ Major Event Director, Cherry Alexander said:

“We’re delighted to be hosting the SPAR British Athletics Indoor Championships and world trials in Birmingham this year. Arena Birmingham is a superb venue, and to have the best athletes in the country coming together to battle for the accolade of becoming British champion will be fantastic.

“With two places up for grabs per event on the British team ahead of the World Indoor Championships we know that the competition will be fierce. Everyone who wants to be on the team needs to be in Birmingham and the women’s 3000m is sure to be one of several strong events across a great weekend of athletics.”

Tickets for the SPAR British Athletics Indoor Championships are available here

The athlete entries portal for the championships can be found here