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Nicole Yeargin admits a disappointing indoor season left her considering her future in athletics – but says she is now fully focused on the “dogfight” of securing a place in Team GB’s squad for this summer’s Olympics in Paris.
The 26-year-old Scottish athlete has won World, European and Commonwealth Games bronze medals in the 4x400m relay.
But she endured a frustrating start to the year, with a disappointing showing at the British Indoor Championships followed by missing out on the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
“When I came off the indoor season I was a little bit like ‘what is going on, shall we hang these [spikes] up? I don’t know if I have got it in me’,” she told BBC Sport Scotland.
“But then I talked with my coach and realised what went wrong and if we can change it, I have full confidence I can make it back.
“One day you can be on top and one you can be on the bottom, athletics is very unforgiving.
“It sucks to know what I wanted to run and to know what I opened up with last year – 51.0 seconds. That was my goal this indoor season and it did not happen.
“I was a bit confused and it does kind of hit you in the heart – this is what you do, this is your career.
“So it was upsetting to run a slow time over and over again, when I know I could do better. I think that would go through anyone’s head.
“I don’t want to waste anyone’s time, so if it was my time to go it was my time to go. But I came back to practice the next Monday and I was ready to train. I am still here.”
Yeargin, who only took up athletics eight years ago, made her Olympic debut at the last Games in Tokyo and competed in the women’s 400m as well as the women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relays.
Born and based in the United States, Yeargin – who qualifies to race for Scotland and Great Britain through her Scottish mum – believes she is now a more mature athlete.
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