Making Start Line Is 'redemption' For Wightman

Jake Wightman says simply making it to nan commencement statement astatine this month's World Championships successful Japan will consciousness for illustration "redemption" aft his past mates of years were wrecked by injury.

The 31-year-old Scot will beryllium competing astatine his first awesome title since 2022 erstwhile he takes to nan way successful nan 1500m successful Tokyo.

Wightman won nan world 1500m title successful Eugene 3 years ago, but wounded robbed him of nan chance to take sides his title nan pursuing twelvemonth - and he was besides forced retired of nan Olympics days earlier nan 800m successful Paris past summer.

"I consciousness for illustration nan redemption is conscionable going to beryllium making that commencement statement to commencement with," he told BBC Scotland.

"I don't consciousness I americium a worse jock aliases thing for illustration that - I consciousness for illustration I person still sewage much to prove, which is why I person still kept going contempt having rather a fewer setbacks complete nan fewer years.

"I americium trying not to put immoderate unit connected it. I consciousness I will tally my champion if I spell into it without expectation."

Wightman's wounded woes mean he is readying to savour each infinitesimal of his awesome title return successful Japan.

"I astir apt didn't realise really debased immoderate of those points were until this twelvemonth erstwhile I sewage backmost racing," he said.

"Last year, erstwhile I sewage wounded earlier Paris, I benignant of brushed it nether nan carpet a small spot and I went connected holiday, didn't really process it overmuch and it was only erstwhile I sewage backmost racing this summertime I was a batch much stressed and anxious astir racing because it had been a full process."

Despite it all, Wightman rejects nan proposal he is 1 of nan astir unfortunate athletes around.

"If you only knew my profession since 2022, you would deliberation that I americium nan astir unlucky jock successful nan world, but I person been doing nan athletics astatine this level since astir 2015, truthful I person had a batch of years wherever worldly has gone my measurement and I person had moments that a batch of group would emotion to person had," he added.

"So it is not for illustration my profession is being defined by debased points. I person had immoderate astonishing precocious points pinch it, truthful for maine that counters these debased ones.

"I americium a large believer nan perseverance will travel done astatine immoderate constituent and I will beryllium rewarded for still showing up and still putting nan activity in."