Jemma Reekie has been destined for the biggest stage for a long time and the North Ayrshire star will get her chance to prove it in the Olympic final. 

Having been crowned European champion at both under-20 and under-23 level, Reekie’s potential has never been in doubt, and now the 23-year-old will be part of an historic 800m final in Tokyo from a British perspective. 

For the first time ever, three British women will appear in the Olympic final over the distance, Reekie joined by Alexandra Bell and Keely Hodgkinson in Tuesday’s showpiece. She was the first to book her spot, finishing second in the first semi-final behind Jamaica’s Natoya Goule. 

And Reekie knows that when it comes to the final, even the slightest mistake could prove fatal. 

She said: “I'm really confident but confidence has just come from the training that I've just done over the past few weeks at the holding camp and I know I'm in amazing shape but it's an Olympic final and I've got to race it smart.  

“Even though I'm in good shape, I'm not under-23s anymore. I can't afford to make mistakes so I'll just go out there and do my best on the day and hopefully I'll come away with a medal.”   

It was a night that was headlined by Dina Asher-Smith’s failure to reach the 100m final, and subsequent withdrawal from the 200m because of a hamstring injury. 

And yet, the historic achievement of the three 800m runners softened the blow of the GB athletics squad’s team captain having to give up her individual ambitions in Tokyo. 

Asher-Smith represented Britain’s best hope for a medal on the track in Japan, but on this form, Reekie and her compatriots will fancy their chances. 

She added: “I've definitely got big dreams and I stand on the start line of every race to try and win it and I'll run and do the same again and if I come away with a medal, I'll be really happy.  

“British middle-distance running is just amazing right now and I'm so excited looking ahead for all the races. I definitely think the British girls can go out and do well in that final.  

“I don't feel pressure from anyone else, I put a lot of pressure on myself and I expect a lot of myself and I'm actually quite harsh on myself so I just want to do well and I don't feel pressure from elsewhere.”  

Meanwhile, Nicole Yeargin was part of the first-ever mixed 4x400m relay where Britain missed out on the chance of a medal, coming home in sixth in a race won by Poland. 

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