Eilish McColgan bids to join legends on podium in heat of 10,000m battle

In the heat of the midday sun, the two greatest female 10,000m runners in history will square off once again. In one corner: Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey, the world record holder. In the other: the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, the reigning world and Olympic champion. It should be a race for the ages.

But as they fight it out for gold at 12.20pm local (8.20pm UK time) on Saturday, British eyes will turn to the chasing pack – where the familiar lolloping stride of Eilish McColgan might just be in contention for a shock bronze medal.

Almost all the signs are positive. So far this year the 31-year-old has broken the UK records at 5km, 10km and half-marathon on the roads. While on the track, her 10,000m personal best of 30:19:02 set in Hengelo this year, makes her the third fastest in the field.

In fact, it is not impossible that she could join her mum, Liz, who took 10,000m gold in Tokyo in 1991 on a world championship podium – if she handles the heat and recovers from a recent bout of illness.

“I think I’m on the upward trend and I think I can get close to 30 minutes again which is a big aim for me,” she says. “I’m not going in with any focus on medals or positions because I can’t control what the other women can do. Because there are some women who are, on a good day, probably capable of running 28-something for a 10km.

“When they are at their best they are the best in history, never mind the best right now. So for me if I can get myself in 30-minute shape then I’m giving myself the best chance to place as highly as I can,” she says. “But we’re racing a 10,000m in Eugene at midday too – I’m not sure who thought that was a good idea by the way.”

McColgan was speaking last week, before news that last year’s Olympic silver