Jake Wightman has revealed that it took Seb Coe to persuade him to chase a “once in a lifetime” opportunity in Birmingham.
The new poster boy of British athletics had decided not to run the 1500 metre distance at which he was crowned world champion in Oregon last week.
He felt he would be unable to replicate what was the race of his life and rather than risk unflattering comparisons thought it better to race the 800m instead. It was then he heard Coe say that he had a unique chance to become Britain’s most successful ever middle-distance runner.
The two-time Olympic 1500m champion urged Wightman to take advantage of his “purple patch” and shoot for an unprecedented treble, here and at the upcoming Europeans.
“Initially I didn't want to do another 1500m," said the Nottingham-born star. "I know that is the best thing I'll do all summer and thought Commies would be tough to get myself up for.
“But when I heard what Seb said and spoke to a few people, the realisation was that it is a good opportunity.
“I thought ‘what would he have done in this situation? He would have tried to take as many titles as possible’. Seb was one of the validations I needed.”
The athletics programme begins today with world and Olympic silver medallist Kelly Hodgkinson opening her account in the 800m.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson starts the defence of her heptathlon crown while Holly Bradshaw prays the hamstring she injured when her pole snapped in Eugene allows her to challenge for pole vault gold.
Wightman goes on Thursday and has top billing after the tale of him conquering the world with dad Geoff on stadium commentary went viral.
But he knows he faces an almighty challenge to reach those same heights in the vest of Scotland.
“The tough thing for me is a lot of people have a point to prove from a disappointing worlds, whereas I don't,” he said. “Worlds went as good as it ever could have.
“So I've got to find my own motivation for that and what I’ve come up with is 'how much better can I make this summer?'
“It's hard to have such a massive high and come back and feel level again but I have had as good a week of training as if I'd never gone to the worlds.
“I want to race and I know how many people, friends and family are coming to watch. How much better would it be to win the Commonwealths with them there?”
