FALL AND FALL

Gourley rescues the day for Scots stars in Manchester as Kerr comes crashing down

- FRASER WILSON

NEIL GOURLEY was finally celebrating becoming an Olympian last night - three months after he couldn't even run.

The Glaswegian took gold in the 1500 metres to rescue the day for Scotland's track stars as Laura Muir, Jemma Reekie, Josh Kerr and Nicole Yergin all fell short in the UK Championships.

On a dramatic afternoon at the Manchester Regional Arena there was agony for Kerr when he crashed to the deck in an 800m home-straight shocker after tangling with Elliot Giles.

The 1500m world champion - who dropped down from his strongest event having already secured his spot at Paris in the longer distance - insists he was innocent after tangling with the Englishman having eyed an opening out of the final bend.

Kerr dragged himself off the deck to finish seventh. But ironically the incident could now open the door for fellow Scot Jake Wightman to make Paris if he can shrug off a calf injury that saw him pull out of the weekend's action.

Giles was needing a top-two finish to clinch the second spot in the 800m in France. But that is in the balance after the collision with Kerr leaving the Englishman and Wightman hanging on to discover if they have been granted a discretionary place when the teams are named next week.

He'll need it if he's to star in the Stade de France as Gourley's success in the 1500m with a time of 3.37.67 ensured there won't be a spot in his preferred event.