Jake Wightman thought he had written his “own perfect fairy tale” as he stormed to a 1500m silver medal at the World Athletics Championships.
The Scot was beaten by two hundredths of a second by shock Portuguese champion Isaac Nader, who crossed the line in 3:34.10, on a night defending world champion Josh Kerr pulled up and struggled to a last-placed finish and favourite Niels Laros came fifth.
Wightman was crowned world champion in 2022, but has struggled with injury ever since, a spell which he admitted had even fractured his relationship with father and former coach Geoff. He revealed he had seriously considered quitting sport altogether if he did not make it through the first heat in Tokyo.
“The only way I could have topped that is with a win, but there is nothing else I could have done,” said Wightman. “I literally did everything I possibly could. There’s nothing else I could have done.
“It’s the same story every year in the 1500m. Whoever goes in as the favourite always seems to have a bit too much of a target.
“I don’t think one person would have expected Nader to win that and even myself coming into the home straight I felt good, and I thought I’d written my own perfect fairy tale.
“If I look back on this, I never would have expected (it). I feel like I ran the perfect race for me. I laid all my cards out. It’s been so hard this season not to compare myself to where I left off in 2022 because I had some horrible years.
“I probably got a little PTSD, almost, with what happened with these injuries.”
