Jemma Reekie is among the nicest folks on the circuit. I get pleasure from her Scottish accent, which, for me, requires some focus. This piece on Jemma is by Stuart Weir, and is his third piece on Doha. Stuart Weir has interviewed Jemma many occasions.
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Jemma Reekie third in Doha
Jemma Reekie opened her out of doors season with third place within the Doha Diamond League. Her time, in a gradual, tactical race through which the sphere ignored the pacemaker was 4:07.44. The race was received by Nelly Chepchirchir in 4:05.00. Reekie ran a intelligent race, conserving out of bother to complete behind two Kenyans however forward of seven different east Africans.
Reekie had beforehand run 2 indoor 800s in France however had determined in opposition to a aggressive indoor season due to the lateness of the world championship, telling me that she didn’t suppose peaking for a European or World Indoors in February/March would assist her to be at her finest in mid-September.
Reekie had completed fourth within the 2021 Olympic 800, in a race through which six of the highest 7 together with her had run a PR. REekie was set to take the bronze medal till a late run by Raeven Rogers left Reekie 0.09 seconds out of the medals. In Paris final 12 months she was the quickest semi-finalist to not make the ultimate. Athletes are sometimes judged simply on the primary championship of the 12 months – which might make 2024 a failure – however Jemma is ready to have a look at the large image and take positives from her first full 12 months working with new coach, John Bigg. 2024 was a 12 months through which she had received a medal on the World Indoors and run a PR on the London Diamond League. Her Diamond League report was spectacular, successful in Stockholm, second in Doha, London and Poland, third at Pre and Lausanne, 4th in Zurich: “I feel we had a variety of positives from 2024 and we realized lots however it was nonetheless arduous not attaining what I needed to attain. Nevertheless it’s solely been a 12 months, working with John and we’ve received a lot to sit up for. I’ve proven bodily that I can do what we have to do and extra. It’s simply that I would like that further time.
“Paris was actually arduous. It was my second Olympics and the second Olympics I went to when a medal would have been a practical aim. It was actually arduous strolling away, not even making the ultimate, so I feel it was a extremely difficult one and it’s one thing that my entire workforce and myself have realized from however London was nice. I’d not been was capable of run a private finest for a very long time and to get London executed and get that private finest was an enormous confidence enhance for me and John as a result of we’ve been working collectively and we’re doing a lot new coaching that it was like, ‘OK, that is working, we’re going the proper course’. And that was an enormous breakthrough from the previous few years and a affirmation we’re doing the proper factor. But additionally there’s nonetheless masses that we will work on”.
Jemma has usually being seen as simply an 800 runner however her ambitions transcend that.
“I feel by the following Olympics I might nonetheless undoubtedly be the 800 however I’ll be operating extra 1500s over time coming as much as that. I actually do suppose it helps my 800 and possibly after the following Olympics I could be doing the fifteens as nicely, however I nonetheless suppose I’ve a lot to offer within the 800 and a lot to enhance on, that I’m undoubtedly gonna deal with the 800 for the following Olympic cycle.
She admitted that she didn’t benefit from the 1500 coaching however noticed it as helpful, growing her stamina for the 800. “That’s what I’m going for simply now, the 800 is what I’m having fun with, what I’m loving. I’ll faucet into the 15, however undoubtedly gonna deal with the 8 for now”. I as soon as identified to her that Jess Judd had first represented Britain at 800 however was now operating 10K, half marathons and was planning a full marathon. She gave my remark brief shrift : “I’m not doing a marathon”.
Doha was a great first outing in 2025 with heaps extra to come back.
