Steph Twell ran a brave and well judged race to claim Team Scotland’s first athletics medal in the women’s 1500m at the Delhi Commonwealth Games. Remarkably, her success was the first ever Games medal in this event for a Scot, but it was well-deserved after the 21-year old took the initiative and forced the pace in the final 600 metres, just as the fast finishers began to bunch up behind her.

As Twell said afterwards, she ran “with heart and with passion,” hugging the inside of the track in the early stages as she kept her position towards the head of a densely packed group. For much of the race she had three Kenyans - including Olympic 1500m champion Nancy Langat - on her shoulder, and, en masse, they attacked at the bell. 

As Langat kicked for home, Nikki Hamblin followed and Twell staged a late charge to battle it out with the New Zealander for silver. In fact, a strong finish almost saw the Scot overhaul Hamblin, but she was more than happy to settle for bronze - her first medal in a major championship.  

“I just hung on,” said Twell immediately afterwards. “I took the race by the scruff of the neck and held my presence in lane one.  

“Even at 400m to go, with all the Kenyans in front of me, I just thought, ‘Don’t give in now, it’s not the end of the race.’ 

“I’ve always been known for not finishing as strong, but I'm getting stronger each race and I hit it hard. I think you've got to run with your heart and with passion and that's what I did today.”