Eilish McColgan beats mum Liz’s Scottish 10,000m record in Holland
Liz McColgan, a former world champion and now her daughter’s coach, ran the previous Scottish best at the same venue 31 years ago.
Eilish McColgan beat her mother Liz’s Scottish record with victory in the 10,000 metres at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Hengelo on Monday.
The 31-year-old defied wind and rain at the Dutch venue to finish ahead of world record-holder Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia in a time of 30 minutes 19.02 seconds.
Liz McColgan, a former world champion and Olympic silver medallist who is now her daughter’s coach, ran the previous Scottish best of 30:57.07 at the same venue 31 years ago.
Now only Paula Radcliffe, with 30:01.09, has gone faster from the United Kingdom.
McColgan told worldathletics.org: “I set out with the intention to chase the British record. It was a lot tougher than I imagined.
“Still, it’s a PB (personal best) and a Scottish record – my mum’s record, which she set here. She’ll be happy for me. She’s my coach.”
The event doubled up as a World Championships trial for the Ethiopian team.
Gidey, whose world-leading time of 29:01.03 also came at Hengelo last year, finished second in 30:44.27. Fellow Ethiopian Ejgayehu Taye was third in 30:44.68.
Almaz Ayana, the 2016 Olympic champion and former world record-holder, was seventh.
