Great Britain’s Laura Muir said she is “more prepared than ever” after easing through the Tokyo 2020 1500m heats in her pursuit of a first Olympic medal.
Muir clocked four minutes 3.89 seconds to finish second. Six athletes from each heat progress to the semi-finals.
In a dramatic moment, world 1500m champion Sifan Hassan fell with 400m to go but won her heat in 4:05.17.
Great Britain’s Katie Snowden qualified sixth in her heat in 4:02.77 but Revee Walcott-Nolan came seventh to miss out.
Walcott-Nolan’s 4:06.23 was a PB but left her seventh in the list of fastest losers, with six going through. Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon – the Olympic champion – clocked the quickest time overall with 4:01.40.
Muir, though, is Great Britain’s major medal hope in the event and, having decided not compete in the 800m, her Tokyo campaign started with a routine heat as she came home behind Canada’s Gabriela Debues-Stafford.
“It’s really nice to get that first run out of the way and feel comfortable,” said Muir, who was seventh at Rio 2016 and fifth at the 2019 World Championships.
“I am more prepared than ever. I have improved so much. I am in the best condition I could be and hopefully any situation I can deal with.”
If Muir’s progression was straightforward, Hassan, who is due to compete in the 5,000m final later on Monday, was made to work in the final 300m so she could make up ground and take on the field after her fall.
Ethiopia-born Hassan – who runs for the Netherlands after arriving in the country as a refugee aged 15 – is expected to challenge for a medal over 1500m, 5,000m and 10,000m in Tokyo.
