Muir labels gruelling European 1500m gold 'hardest race' she's run after memorable title defence in

Laura Muir labelled her hard-fought European title defence the 'hardest race she's ever run' after a lightning turn of pace propelled her to a third major 1500m medal of the summer in Munich. The Scottish middle distance star left herself with considerable work to do before hitting the accelerator at the pivotal moment to burst clear of the field and retain the title she won in Berlin four years ago. Ad Muir, 29, clocked a red-hot time of 4:01.08 to finish 1.48s clear of Ireland's Ciara Mageean — who ran a bold race to seal silver – and Poland's Sofia Ennaoui in front of a bumper crowd at the city's 1972 Olympic Stadium.

AthleticsMuir labels gruelling European 1500m gold 'hardest race' she's run after memorable title defence in34 MINUTES AGO The Inverness ace bagged a brilliant bronze at last month's World Championships in Eugene before following it up with a long-awaited Commonwealth title in Birmingham. Cramming three major championships into the space of five weeks was never going to be easy and Muir, who also won Commonwealth 800m bronze, admits it almost got the better of her after a gruelling sporting summer. She said: «It looked hard on paper but actually doing it in person, never again.

»It was an amazing opportunity and a very unique one that we'd ever get three championships in a year, let alone in five weeks in the summer. «It's just insane but I said you know what, I'll give it a go. »I got a medal at all three and to win the Commonwealths and win here, I'm so happy.

«This was the hardest one – on paper it looked the easiest one event, only two rounds, but it's the easiest out of the three physically. »But it was so tough mentally – the most difficult race I think I've ever run. «It was so hard –