Local athletes do Renfrewshire proud at Tokyo Olympics

The Kilbarchan AAC athlete clocked a time of 1min 56.9secs but agonisingly missed out on a medal.

Reekie, 23, had looked in line for a podium place, only to be left to settle for fourth as Raevyn Rogers dipped ahead of her to claim bronze behind two 19-year-olds – American sensation Athing Mo and Keely Hodgkinson, who broke the British record to secure silver.

After the race, Reekie revealed she is already looking ahead to the 2024 Games in Paris.

“I knew I was in good shape and, if I executed the race right, I could have been right up there,” she said. “I wanted to win but sometimes you have to learn and Paris isn’t too far away.

“I wanted to win but I think I will look back in a few years and think I’ve done well.”

Jemma Reekie secured fourth place in the final of the women’s 800m at the Tokyo Olympics

Hodgkinson, who is studying criminology at Leeds Beckett University, set a new national record as she claimed silver, beating Kelly Holmes’ mark of 1.56.21 set in 1995.

She said: “It was so open and I wanted to put it all out there, I’m so happy.

“I just have no words. It means so much, and thank you to everyone that has sent messages over the past couple of days.”

Kilbarchan runners will be back on the Olympic stage this weekend as Callum Hawkins and Steph Twell compete in the marathon.

Meanwhile, there was medal success for Paisley-born cyclist Jack Carlin yesterday as he competed at his first Olympics.

Carlin, who honed his skills on the cycle routes of Renfrewshire, was part of the GB trio that claimed silver in the Men’s Team Sprint.

He was joined by Jason Kenny and Ryan Owens as they took on the Netherlands in a final showdown.

Carlin said: “We came for more but I think we can be proud of ourselves.

“We are happy but you just expect more.”