his championship hopes very much over. Plenty
of criticism came his way – much of it extremely
personal as the internet vultures circled their
next victim.
“It was obviously difficult with what happened
in the semi-final,” he says. “That (falling) was
twice in two weeks and, looking back on the race,
I wouldn’t have tried to get through that gap ifI hadn’t thought I could get through it. I did get
through and then it was a couple of steps after
that when I got clipped. Maybe it was 50-50 and
I will take the blame for it but at the same time
I wouldn’t have taken that risk if I didn’t think I
could have got through.
“The trolling which came afterwards is what it
is – I’m pretty thick-skinned but the worst of all
that stuff was people sending me pictures of my
mum crying in the stands. She rarely comes to
watch me race and the two races where she has
come to watch me this year were in Birmingham
and Glasgow. I’ve told her she’s not coming back!”
The last remark is delivered, of course, with
a hearty laugh and it says much for Learmonth
that he has been able to find humour amidst the
darkness.
The Lasswade athlete has had a number
of personal losses and setbacks to deal with
through his career and anyone who saw him
in the immediate aftermath of that semi-
final stumble, slumped disconsolately on thesidelines, will be in little doubt that this is an
emotional man.
Learmonth wouldn’t have it any other way,
though. Not for him is the picture perfect view of
life which so many people choose to paint online,
only including the highlights and conveniently
airbrushing out the struggles and setbacks.
“I just try be myself,” he says. “I want to run as
fast as I possibly can and show every human
emotion that comes with it – whether that’s all
the good stuff or all the bad stuff.
“Especially with social media now, you’ll see
so much positive stuff and it’s always ‘great,
great, great, great, great’ but that’s not what
happens in life – there’s all the bad stuff as well.
“I’m quite happy to be open and to share every
emotion that I’m going through. I hope people
can perhaps relate to that or appreciate that and
maybe it will help a few people as well so I just
try to be myself and I try and be real.
“I always wear my heart on my sleeve and tell
everyone what I’m going to do. A lot of the time
I do produce the goods but, when I don’t, I get
condemned for it.
“I’d rather be that person than not say anything
because, for me, the more I say things the
more I’ll believe it. It’s a confidence thing and
a belief thing and I’ve always been like that so,
with something like Glasgow, it obviously wasn’t
meant to be on that day but I’m not going give
up or throw the towel in. I’m always going to pick
myself up, dust myself off and then go again.
“Even in training I’m always looking for
improvements. Henry has said from day one that
he believes he can get me to 1:42 so I told him
that one day I’m going to go one better for him!
“Since I was 16 years old, when I started
working with him, he very quickly said that to
my mum and dad. We’re getting closer and if
I can get down to 1:42 then it would be crazy,
wouldn’t it?”@ATHLETICSWEEKLY
BIOG
■Age 27
■Coach Henry Gray
■PBs 400m 48:00, 800m 1:44.73,
1500m 3:45.40
■Achievements
2019 British indoor 800m silver; 2018 British
Championships 800m bronze; 2017 British
Championships 800m silver; British indoor
800m gold 2015 British indoor 800m
gold; 2014 Commonwealth
Games 800m 6th’
‘
I just try to be myself.
I want to run as fast as I
possibly can and show
every human emotion
that comes with it -
whether that’s all the
good stuff or all the
bad stuff
The aftermath of Glasgow 2019 was hard for Learmonth to deal with
Guy Learmonth: aiming
to challenge for major
medals this year