Eilish McColgan claims 10,000m silver at European Championships

Great Britain’s Eilish McColgan won the women’s 10,000m silver at the European Championships in Munich. Although she came behind Turkey’s Yasemin Can, who established an unassailable lead with seven laps remaining, McColgan’s silver is a very impressive result given her current run of finals.

McColgan came to this race having won the same event at the Commonwealth Games just 12 days prior, following in the footsteps of her mother Liz, who was Commonwealth 10,000m champion in both 1986 and 1990. The 31-year-old athlete then added another silver to her collection in the Birmingham 2022 5,000m race – this all in a season where she has also broken the European 10km, British half-marathon and Scottish 10,000m records.

It was perhaps little surprise, then, that fatigue would at some point start to rear its head. After the race, McColgan said: “I felt very tired all this week. I hadn’t slept for several nights after the 10,000m in Birmingham and then I had to do it again in the 5,000m. And then all the media the following day when you’re up at the crack of dawn and on your feet all day – I’m not used to that. All I did today was sleep. My roommate just thought I was dead. And even though the housekeeper came in, I didn’t even hear it. I was just totally knocked out.”

McColgan came to the race powered by caffeine and a desire to win a third medal in 12 days, and she set about it with a strategy that had served her well at the Commonwealth Games. She made sure that she was leading the pack early on after the first 1,000m, and then pushed ahead, aiming to hold a lead. After 18 of the 25 laps, many of the athletes had fallen behind, and there were only four athletes left in contention for the medal positions.

I’m sure I’ll be back – I love racing – It’s been a great season and to add another medal to that, I’d be more than proud

– Eilish McColgan

That was when Can made her move, breaking away from the pack and establishing a race lead that would not be challenged. She ultimately won the race in 30:32.57, her second European 10,000m gold after Amsterdam 2016. It then came down to a battle between McColgan and Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter on the final lap for the silver medal – the Scottish athlete had a little more in the tank, however, and took second place with a time of 30:41.05.

The Commonwealth champion said: “I didn’t want a last kilometre burn-up. But when the pace went up, I just didn’t quite have that zip. But it was probably to be expected. I’m not a superhuman and I have to respect that my legs were going to be tired. And I knew it was going to be tough with Can. I knew she was the one to beat tonight and she just was super strong. I couldn’t stay with her.”

Incredibly, McColgan is now looking ahead to competing in the 5,000m in Munich. “I think it is going to be tough. Two days’ recovery to try and do it all again but this would be my last track race this season. I’ll have a think about it, I’m sure I’ll be back. I love racing. It’s been a great season and to add another medal to that, I’d be more than proud.” It’d be a tough challenge, but based on the year she’s had, you certainly wouldn’t run her out.

At the time of writing, Great Britain is third on the medal table, behind Germany and France in first and second respectively.