Paris 2024: Jake Wightman on running 800m at Olympics

Jake Wightman does not regard the 800m as “a consolation” as he prepares to compete at the Paris Olympics.

Most of the 30-year-old’s medal successes have come over 1500m, including his 2022 World Championship gold.

However, he was a silver medallist over 800m at the 2022 European Championships.

“I’ve been able to run well over 800m in the past, but not necessarily at championships because I’ve always been focused on the 1500m,” he told BBC Scotland.

“What I’ve wanted to do previously is double up if I could, but the state of British Athletics means that we’re so good at both that it’s hard to make a team in one.

“It’s not a consolation, it’s a good opportunity still to show that I can be competitive on the global stage over this distance now, so I’ve just had to change my approach to it a little bit because there are slightly different tweaks that you have to make going over half the distance.