Nicole Yeargin: Team GB sprinter says relay medals not enough
- Published
World Athletics Championships: GB win bronze in women's 4x400m relay final
Scottish sprinter Nicole Yeargin is targeting a first individual medal in response to her coach telling her "no-one cares" about her relay success.
Yeargin, 25, won World, European and Commonwealth Games bronze medals in the 4x400m relay last year.
But the Team GB athlete says she will not see herself as among the best unless she achieves personal glory.
"Until I get an individual medal and on the podium myself, I don't think I am one of the top athletes," Yeargin said.
"I am not going to brag that: 'oh yeah I am a top athlete' yadda yadda yadda if one, I didn't get gold at the British Championships and two, I don't have an individual medal.
"That is the cream of the crop and until then I can't say personally that I am a top runner yet. My coach talks about it all the time, he just says: 'No one cares if you got a medal from a relay.'"
Born in the United States, where she is also based, Yeargin qualifies to race for Scotland and Great Britain through her mum, who is from Dunfermline.
After a strong start to 2023 - setting new Scottish indoor records in the 300m and 400m - she is hoping to make her mark outdoors this summer.
Yeargin could secure her place at the World Championships in August with a good showing at next month's British Championships in Manchester.'Coach says no-one cares about my relay medals'
Nicole Yeargin (second from right) has won relay medals with Scotland and Great Britain
'I can make more money off the Diamond League than I can Paris'
After making her Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2021, Yeargin also has next year's games in Paris in her sights.
"I know I also have work to put in before I get to those ones," Yeargin said. "I mean they are not just handed to you, so I know I still have to compete, I still have to stay locked in during the season.
"This is my job, this is my career, so there is more than just World Championships and Paris and trials. There are paid meets that I have to focus on.
"I don't think about it that much because I can make more money off the Diamond League than I can Paris essentially.
"It is a big 12 months. When I made the Tokyo team, that was my first year going out to the British Championships and I made the team.
"I have got silver at the last two British Championships, I am hoping to get gold this year, I don't want to get silver again."