Olympic silver medallist Liz McColgan has publicly condemned the recent surge of demeaning and abusive comments directed at her daughter, Eilish McColgan, on social media platforms. Eilish, the reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion, has been subjected to body-shaming remarks as she intensifies her training for the upcoming London Marathon.
Eilish’s sharing of a video of herself sprinting on a treadmill, recording her marathon training, set off the debate. The tweet drew unwelcome criticism as some people made unfounded presumptions regarding her appearance and health. One reviewer said apathetically, “She looks like a skeleton,” while another advised, “Give that girl a burger.”
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Liz McColgan responded by defending her daughter and drawing attention on the stupidity behind such remarks on Instagram. She underlined that the rigours of their training schedules can cause elite athletes to show lower body fat percentages. “We come in all shapes and sizes; they do not understand that being a top runner brings lower body fat,” Liz said.
Speaking outside of her daughter, Liz emphasised the wider effects of such criticism on young athletes. Emphasising that while Eilish has the will to resist such negative comments, other aspirant athletes might not be as suited to face such humiliating words, she encouraged opponents to “stop the jealousy and abuse of women athletes online by posting ridiculous and stupid comments”.
Thirty-four-year-old Eilish McColgan has not allowed the negative to distract her. She is assiduously getting ready for her London Marathon, set for April 27, 2025, run. Eilish is hopeful about reaching such times in the future even if she admits that smashing Paula Radcliffe’s British record of 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 25 seconds on her first effort is “unrealistic.” She remarked, “Do I think I’m capable of getting down to those times in the future? Absolutely. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I was.”
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The athletic community and fans have rallied in support of Eilish. British 1500m champion Neil Gourley condemned the “horrible behaviour” directed towards her, lauding Eilish as a “role model” for confronting the abuse. Supporters have also expressed gratitude on social media; one stated, “You are an inspiration,” while another counselled, “Keep going.” Remember: social media isn’t real.”
Online criticism doesn’t deter Eilish McColgan; she is focused on her goals and keeps on her tough training. Her road shows perseverance and the necessity of addressing and preventing online abuse in sports.