Neil Gourley’s decision to travel to the Chinese city of Nanjing for this year’s World Indoor Athletics Championships have been fuelled, in large part, by “fire and frustration”.
A fortnight ago, Gourley finished just outside the medals in fourth place in the 1500m final at the European Indoor Athletics Championships and it was his performance as much as the result that saw him depart the Netherlands with his frustration levels bubbling over.
However, unusually, Gourley has a chance to rectify things almost immediately.
While most athletics' seasons include only one major indoor championship, 2025 differs significantly in that both the World and European Indoors are crammed into the space of a few weeks and so almost as soon as Gourley crossed the line in Apeldoorn, he knew that China would be his next stop.
“Before the European Indoors I was 50-50 about going to the Worlds but having been so frustrated after the Europeans, any thoughts of not going to China went out of the window,” the 30-year-old says.
“Straight away, I knew I wanted to go to the Worlds to put things right so it really was fire and frustration that led to my decision to compete.
“I know it’s a lot to take on but from a competitive standpoint, I want another crack. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out but I wanted to give myself the opportunity.”
Gourley’s confidence that he can challenge for silverware at this World Indoors, which begin on Friday, is far from misplaced.
Last month, he set a new British indoor record at 1000m before, just days later, becoming British indoor 1500m champion for the third time.
Gourley was disappointed with his fourth-place finish at the European Indoors (Image: Getty Images) That the Glaswegian had been in such sparkling early-season form only added to his disappointment that he missed out on a place on the podium at the European Indoor Championships and failed to add to the silver medal he won at the event in 2023.
The Scot was impeded by a mid-race fall by a competitor but rather than consider himself unlucky to have been affected, instead he was disheartened that he hadn’t positioned himself clear of any potential trouble in the final that was ultimately won by Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
“In the Europeans final, I got caught amongst the chaos and the tendency can be to think it was really unlucky but I'm more experienced than that so I'm annoyed that I put myself in the position to get caught up,” he says.
“I’m probably being hard on myself but I’m frustrated that I wasn’t able to show what I was ready to do in that final. Who knows how it would have gone if I'd run a clean, perfect race but I know it would have been better than what transpired.”
Gourley is the sole Scot in GB’s 13-strong squad for this World Indoor Championship, with the travel involved having deterred some of GB’s headline names.
For Gourley, though, although mindful of his recent busy schedule, the prospect of winning major silverware was just too attractive a proposition to turn down.
“I'd like to win a medal in Nanjing,” he says.
“I haven't done that at a global championship yet and I think there's every chance I can do it this weekend.
“I don't think the level will be too different from the Europeans because the standard there was very high. So I'd like to put myself in a position not only to challenge for a medal but where I can try and win the race.”
While many of Gourley’s peers will depart China and head straight into their pre-season training block, the Scot has a significant date in his diary before his preparation for the outdoor season can begin in earnest.
The Giffnock North athlete has been signed up by Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track and so he’ll be heading to Kingston in Jamaica to compete in the first leg of the event in early April.
Grand Slam Track has been hailed as a potential saviour for a sport which has slowly been in decline in terms of media coverage and global interest in recent years and while no one, Gourley included, has a crystal ball as to this new event's long-term impact on the sport, the Scot is thrilled to be part of this innovative new venture.
“It's really exciting to be involved - I think it'll be a lot of fun for the athletes and I hope that translates to the television and for the people who are coming along to watch,” says Gourley, who will be joined in Kingston by his compatriot, Josh Kerr.
“The concept is good and I like that they're focusing on head-to-head rivalries rather than just going after times or records. I don't know if this will fix the sport’s problems but what I am glad of is that they're trying something. The status quo is fine for the passionate athletics fans who already exist but if we want to reach a bigger audience then we need to do something differently.
“I think this is the best idea anyone's had yet and I'm excited to get behind it and be a part of it and I hope it does succeed."
