Between 2021 and 2023, McColgan was in the form of her life, becoming Commonwealth champion and setting national records on the track and road from 5,000m to the half marathon.

But a knee problem that caused McColgan constant pain slowed her progress, and last year her family had to cope with the death of John Nuttall, her mother’s partner and trainer Liz.

After an operation initially failed to alleviate McColgan’s symptoms, she felt an improvement in the spring and will now compete at the Stade de France alongside her Scottish compatriot Megan Keith.

“When you have a six-month break and try to compete against the best in the world, it’s going to be a huge challenge,” said the man from Dundee.

“But I worked my ass off to be here and I deserve to be on the starting line as much as anyone else.

“Maybe I won’t reach the record form that I have shown in recent years, but I am getting closer to that form again and am not far from my wish.

“As a family, we have been through a lot in the last year. It is psychologically difficult to cope with and process. That is probably why I am even more proud.

“Despite all of this, we kept fighting and made it to the start line. It’s a great honour to be competing in my fourth Olympic Games. To be the first Scot to do this (in athletics) shows how difficult it is.”