Image source, Getty Images
- Author, Richard Winton
- Role, BBC Sport Scotland
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European Athletics Championships
Where: Olympic Stadium, Rome When: 7-12 June
How to follow: Watch live on the BBC Sport website & app and iPlayer
Not so long ago, Eilish McColgan was unable to take a step without pain.
The 33-year-old did not doubt she would compete again, but she was facing the reality of daily discomfort because of a knee injury. Running would not be fun any more.
The Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion had all but accepted that a fourth appearance at the Olympics looked a forlorn hope after autumn surgery failed to completely resolve the lingering problem.
As recently as March, Great Britain’s McColgan was being told by those close to her to write off a late summer medal tilt in Paris. At that stage, she was listening.
And yet on Tuesday in Rome, the Scot will take her place in the 10,000m field at the European Athletics Championships.
“To be honest, just time,” she told BBC Scotland. “I don’t know why the last six weeks have been a huge improvement.
“Until then, I thought I was just going to have to deal with pain on a daily basis for the rest of my life. And that mentally is really, really tough.
“We didn’t really know what the issue was.”
At one stage, she said a doctor had effectively told her she “might never walk again, never mind run”.
“So to go through all that and for Paris now to be a realistic goal, I’ve come a long, long way,” McColgan said.
Before that, though, McColgan has to earn her place in the British team.
She is one of two athletes – along with fellow Scot Megan Keith – to have the Olympic qualifying standard.
And with three places available, she will more than likely be selected should she prove her fitness.
That task starts on Tuesday in Rome. So how does the 2022 European silver medallist think she will fare?
“I’m not in [personal best] shape, but I’m very aware I have to show some sort of form ahead of the Olympics,” McColgan said.
“I can’t just sit at home and think that I’m going to get selected. I have to prove I’m in one piece. But I’ve got nothing to lose.
“If you’d asked me six weeks ago, I would have said I was nowhere near ready for the Europeans. But we’ve seen glimmers where I think I can still be competitive.
“Am I going to be fighting for a gold medal in Paris? No, but I’m aiming to be top Brit, then top European. That’s a pretty realistic goal for me.”