Eilidh Child was praised by team captain and 400m world champion Christine Ohuruogu on Saturday after the Pitreavie AC athlete had led-off the GB & NI relay girls to a stunning bronze behind big guns Russia and the USA.
Child, Shana Cox, Margaret Adeoye and Ohuruogu clocked a season’s best 3:22.19 to hold off fast-finishing France and claim third.
It was Child’s fifth race in six days in the Luzhniki Stadium. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday brought the first round, semis and final of the 400m hurdles, and Friday and Saturday the relays. And, boy, was she up for it.
Ohuruogu, who ran a solid anchor leg to add to her national record and gold medal in the individual 400m, was delighted with Child.
“The girls ran fantastically well,” she said. “They all turn up and do exactly what’s asked of them, and Eilidh, she’s run well, I don’t even know how often she’s run but she’s a phenomenal athlete.”
Eilidh was sparkling, animated, and talking 10 to the dozen.
“I just tried to go out and set it up for the others without panicking when the Americans came alongside,” she said.
“But when the world champion comes storming down the home straight with the baton in third place, we knew we weren’t going to lose it. So, yeah, we’re just delighted to be going home with a medal.
“It’s been an amazing championships for me,” she reflected. I was, of course, really happy with the hurdles, finishing 5th, but to actually take a medal home is just icing on the cake.
“The atmosphere was also amazing, not just for the host nation. The British flags were everywhere.
“When I walked out and went around the back straight all I heard was the British fans calling my name, which was lovely. I think we had the biggest support apart from the Russians and Ukrainians.”
Eilidh will have a break when she gets home but is already looking forward to returning to competition.
There is work to do to bridge the gap between her 54.20 and the 52.80 of Czech world champion Zuzana Hejnova.
“I want to build on this year and, with Glasgow in 2014, it’s going to be so exciting,” she said.
“I think I’ve got to work on my speed, while incorporating improvements to my hurdling.”