England's Laura Weightman has expressed her delight at having clinched a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games 1,500m this evening.
Weightman took the initiative on the final lap, upping the pace before sprinting down the home straight to finish in second place behind Kenya's Faith Kibiegon.
The result saw her clinch her first ever senior medal, and after the race she spoke to Sports Mole about how it felt and what the success could mean for her future chances at major meets.
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Laura, you're a silver medallist at the Commonwealth Games. How are you feeling?
"Absolutely amazing. I don't think words can quite describe what that feels like. Your first senior international medal - it feels absolutely amazing to have done it here in front of so many of your friends and family watching."
Not just your friends and family - there were thousands of supporters raising the roof as you sprinted over the line. There was a very English feel to the crowd.
"It was absolutely incredible, you know. That lap there and having so many of my friends and family in the stands. I didn't even know they were going to be here. It was great to see so many familiar faces and yeah, I'm over the moon with that. I can't be any happier."
It is your first ever senior medal. How important a milestone is this in your career as a whole?
"It's hugely important. The championship year of the Commonwealth Games, this 1,500m is so strong, in world terms but also the Commonwealth Games. It's really important that I could come here and believe in myself that I could mix with the world's best. It's a stepping stone - the next two years I have big championships coming up."
And psychologically does this help you going into those championships and, looking even further ahead, the Olympics in 2016?
"Yeah, definitely. Psychologically it's important that you can just focus on your race and not be fazed by anyone else and what anyone else is doing. [You need to] just concentrate on what you're doing and what you want to achieve."
Weightman, who finished with a time of 4:09.24, came 11th in the 1,500m at the 2012 London Olympics.
Barney Corkhill
