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Neil Gourley wants to be “at the top of the podium” as he tries to win the 1500m title at the Tokyo World Championships in the style of Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman.

Gourley, who had inspired his own captain’s speech to the British team at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing over the weekend, praised his fellow athletes and “leave room for the extraordinary” to inspire his first global medal over the distance.

After capturing the Norwegian star’s world 1500m gold, Gourley now wants to follow in his country’s footsteps in Japan by following in his compatriots’ footsteps.

And he continued, “It sounds like my turn, doesn’t it,” he said to BBC Scotland. That ambition is what I’m going by.

After being let down by missing the recent Glasgow World Indoor Championships, both of which were held just last year, Gourley is happy to embrace this level of ambition.

The Giffnock AC athlete’s goal of winning a middle-distance medal on the global stage has been helped by letting those mental wounds heal.

Twelve months ago, Gordon said, “I wasn’t in a great place mentally or physically. Because it would have been unique to hold the World Indoors in my hometown, I was quite upset when I saw it take place here in Glasgow.

“To compete in front of a large number of friends and family members.” On the day of the [in Nanjing]final, I had a lot of thought about that.

This one made you stronger mentally, and sometimes these things do.

Perhaps this mental fortitude helped Gourley, who had been given the honor of leading the British delegation, prepare for a rousing captain’s speech in front of his fellow athletes in Nanjing.

When asked what he told his team-mates, Gourley responded, “Leave some room for the extraordinary to happen.”

Don’t just go in the hope that you’ll do it all season or that you’ll be successful.

You must go out and make the case that there is something else, that you can take chances, and have some ambition.

Gourley’s ambition is undoubtedly paying off. His sights are both world gold and silver on the mantelpiece.

However, there is no way that his recent success will cause him to suffer.

Sweden’s Anthony Elanga said Northern Ireland are a “really good young team” and praised goalkeeper Pierce Charles, despite dominating Michael O’Neill’s young side in the Stockholm friendly.

Nottingham Forest striker Elanga was on the scoresheet in Sweden’s 5-1 win on Tuesday night, but thinks the beaten visitors are heading in the right direction under O’Neill.

“I’ve been watching Northern Ireland and I think they’re really good, they’ve got a really good manager.

“You’ve got a really good, young team that play football, play good football. I really enjoy watching you guys play.”

Elanga knows a number of O’Neill’s squad and believes 19-year-old goalkeeper Charles, who won his sixth cap at the Strawberry Arena, is an “amazing” prospect.

“I know a few of the players, Ethan Galbraith who I played with at [Manchester] United, the Charles brothers [who were products of the Manchester City youth system].

“He [Pierce] is an amazing goalkeeper by the way, he’s got a bright future.”

Sweden’s victory came without Tottenham winger Dejan Kulusevski and Sporting Lisbon striker Victor Gyokeres.

Elanga said he was “not at all” frustrated to start the game on the bench, especially with Nottingham Forest’s FA Cup quarter-final against Brighton on Saturday.

“Coming on, I wanted to make an impact and score and that’s what I did.

British super-bantamweight Ramla Ali has signed a promotional deal with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions.

Ali’s remarkable journey has taken her from being a refugee who fled war-torn Somalia to a model, activist, Olympian and world-title challenging boxer.

The 35-year-old – who was previously signed to Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing – has been out of the ring since losing to WBC champion Yamileth Mercado in June.

“This partnership goes beyond business; it’s about creating a legacy that will benefit every female fighter who comes after me,” Ali said.

YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul – who beat former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson in a controversial and much-publicised bout in November – is a divisive figure in the sport but has championed the female code through MVP, which he co-founded with Nakisa Bidarian.

Unified bantamweight world champion Dina Thorslund, flyweight Naomy Valle and American prospect Nat Dove have also signed with MVP.

Earlier this month, undisputed super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner joined the promotion, while American Paul also represents seven-division champion Amanda Serrano.

Serrano will earn the biggest fight purse for a woman boxer alongside long-time rival Katie Taylor when they fight again in July.

“I’ve observed how Jake Paul, Nakisa Bidarian, and the MVP team have revolutionized women’s boxing,” Ali said.