JAKE'S STILL GOT BUG

Wightman wants to put two years of pain behind him in Tokyo now

- BY MARK WOODS

JAKE WIGHTMAN admits two painful years of kicking his heels and watching others strike gold will fuel his bid to regain his world 1500 metres title today.

At the 2022 edition of the championships in Oregon, the Scot was out in front and top of the tree due to a brilliant victory that went viral with his Dad Geoff calling the action on the stadium mic.

Just 12 months later though, he was relegated to the role of TV pundit as Edinburgh club-mate Josh Kerr stormed clear to claim his first major crown.

And then in Paris last summer, he was a last-minute scratch due to another agonising injury blow that forced a rethink of his plans.

Reaching this evening’s final in Tokyo in the company of Kerr and their Glaswegian colleague Neil Gourley already feels like a battle won.

And Wightman, now aged 31, concedes he’s out to make up for lost time and to pad out his medal haul.