Eilish McColgan steps up return from injury and targets Paris Olympics

The Scot is returning from a knee injury, but remains confident of a return to competitive running in time to make Team GB

Eilish McColgan has stepped up her return to racing (PA Wire)

Eilish McColgan is targeting the women's 10,000m at the Paris Olympics after successfully coming through pacing duties at the Asics Speed Race.

The Commonwealth 10,000m champion has been recovering from a knee injury since last year, which forced her to delay plans to step up in distance and make her debut at the London Marathon.

Now back down at her preferred event and able to pace to 5k in the streets of Paris on Friday evening, McColgan is eager to return to the French capital this summer and represent Great Britain.

“It was to get used to running in super shoes again, it's been a year since I last raced, there was a lot of hesitation coming back," McColgan told Athletics Weekly. “I'm in a good place body-wise. It's not something that will disappear, there's still scar tissue.

"I always knew I could get back. Some of the doctors even said it would be a challenge, but I believe in myself. It'll take a lot of work. I'm heading to altitude this week for my first training camp of the year.

“It [the Paris Olympics] is what I train for every day, that is the A goal, to be at my fourth Olympic Games. I have my qualifying times, but I have to show my form and fitness.”

Likina Amebaw won the women's race in 29:56 for a personal best at the Asics Festival of Running. The Ethiopian outsprinted Kenya's Loice Chemnung (29:57), while Great Britain's Natasha Philipps finished back in 34:12.

Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer won the men’s race (Asics)

The men's race was won in 27:43 by Ethiopia's Jemal Yimer, with Kenya's Hilary Kipkoech (27:44) second and Vincent Kibet (27:48) third respectively.

The race also saw contenders for the men's marathon at the Paris Olympics drop down in distance and take in the city's surroundings ahead of this summer's Games.

Canada's Cam Levins, who has a 2:05:36 PB over 26.2 miles, came sixth in 28:11 and the USA's Clayton Young, whose best over the marathon is 2:08:00 and finished barely behind Conor Mantz in second at the USA trials in February, came 17th in 29:31. British interest in the race saw Josh Griffiths run 31:09 for 29th.

Hagos Gebrhiwet wins the men’s 5k (Getty Images)

Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet, a major Olympic medal contender in the men’s 5,000m and 10,000m this summer, won the men's 5k in 13:24 to back up his victory at the Podium 5k festival in Leicester last month in 13:19. The 29-year-old beat out Djibouti’s Mohamed Ismail (13:32) and Spain's Adel Mechaal, who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics in the men's 1,500m. Great Britain’s Zak Seddon, who will be targeting the men’s 3,000m steeplechase this summer, finished 10th in 14:14.

Kenya's Caroline Nyaga won the women's 5k in 14:40, beating out Uganda's Joy Cheptoyek (15:03) and Belinda Chemutai (15:05).

Men’s 10km

Jemal Yimer	Ethiopia	27:43
Hillary Kipkoech	Kenya	27:44
Vincent Kibet	Kenya	27:48
Etienne Daguinos	France	28:09 (PB)
Eduardo Menacho	Spain	28:10 (PB)

Women’s 10km

Likina Amebaw	Ethiopia	29:56 (PB)
Loice Chemnung	Kenya	29:57 (PB)
Miriam Chebet	Kenya	30:41
Nadia Battocletti	Italy	31:19 (NR)
Kidsan Alema	Ethiopia	31:42 (PB)

Men’s 5km

Hagos Gebrhiwet	Ethiopia	13:24
Mohamed Ismael	Djibouti	13:32 (NR)
Adel Mechaal	Spain	13:34
Abdi Waiss	Djibouti	13:38
Felix Bour	France	13:39

Women’s 5km

Caroline Nyaga	Kenya	14:40
Joy Cheptoyek	Uganda	15:03
Belinda Chemutai	Uganda	15:05
Sara Nestola	Italy	15:43 (PB)
Martyna Galant	Poland	15:48 (PB)

Rewatch the Asics Speed Race, as part of the Paris Festival of Running weekend, below