'I've got to prove I'm in one piece to get to fourth Olympics'

European Athletics Championships

Where: Olympic Stadium, Rome When: 7-12 June

How to follow: Watch unrecorded connected nan BBC Sport website & app and iPlayer

Not truthful agelong ago, Eilish McColgan was incapable to return a measurement without pain.

The 33-year-old did not uncertainty she would compete again, but was facing nan reality of regular discomfort because of a knee injury. Running would not beryllium nosy immoderate more.

The Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion had each but accepted that a 4th quality astatine nan Olympics looked a forlorn dream aft autumn room grounded to reside nan lingering problem.

As precocious arsenic March, Great Britain's McColgan was being told by those adjacent to her to constitute disconnected a precocious summertime badge tilt successful Paris. At that stage, she was listening.

And yet connected Sunday, nan Scot will recreation to Rome to return her spot successful nan 10,000m section astatine nan European Athletics Championships.

So what has changed?

"To beryllium honest, conscionable time," she told BBC Scotland. "I don't cognize why nan past six weeks person been a immense improvement.

"Until then, I thought I was conscionable going to person to woody pinch symptom connected a regular ground for nan remainder of my life. And that mentally is really, really tough.

"We didn't really cognize what nan rumor was. I had 1 expert who had publication a scan incorrect and was fundamentally saying I mightiness ne'er locomotion again, ne'er mind run.

"So to spell done each that and for Paris now to beryllium a realistic goal, I've travel a long, agelong way."

Before that, though, McColgan has to gain her spot successful nan British team.

She is 1 of 2 athletes - on pinch chap Scot Megan Keith - to person nan qualifying standard.

And pinch 3 places available, she will much than apt beryllium selected should she beryllium her fitness.

That task starts connected Tuesday successful Rome. So really does nan 2022 European metallic medallist deliberation she will fare?

"I'm not successful PB shape, but I'm very alert I person to show immoderate benignant of shape up of nan Olympics," McColgan said.

"I can't conscionable beryllium astatine location and deliberation that I'm going to get selected. I person to beryllium I'm successful 1 piece. But I've sewage thing to lose.

"If you'd asked maine six weeks ago, I would person said I was obscurity adjacent fresh for nan Europeans. But we've seen glimmers wherever I deliberation I tin still beryllium competitive.

"Am I going to beryllium fighting for a golden badge successful Paris? No, but I'm aiming to beryllium apical Brit, past apical European. That's a beautiful realistic extremity for me."