‘Stop the abuse’: Liz McColgan hits back at online criticism of daughter Eilish

The Olympic silver medallist Liz McColgan has hit out at the “demeaning and abusive comments” received on social media by her daughter, Eilish, the reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion.

Liz, who also won the 1991 world 10,000m title and coaches Eilish, used screenshots in a post on X to highlight comments attacking her daughter’s body shape and questioning whether she has an eating disorder.

“She looks like a skeleton,” was among the responses to Eilish posting a video of training for her first London Marathon on a treadmill. “Anorexia … Owyes” was another. Someone else wrote: “Give that girl a burger.”

Liz responded in an Instagram post, saying: “We come in all shapes and sizes, they obviously do not understand that being an elite runner brings lower body fat but being an idiot and not fully understanding that your body needs to be fueled properly by eating or your body will not perform especially for marathons.”

She said her 34-year-old daughter was “strong enough” to shrug off the negative comments, but added she was concerned for younger athletes. “Stop the jealousy and abuse of women athletes online by posting ridiculous and stupid comments as above. My concern as a parent is not for Eilish as she is of a strong enough character to deal with these people my concern is for other kids, athletes that are not so strong of character to deal with demeaning and abusive comments on their appearance.”

Others were quick to back up Eilish when she reposted her mother’s message. “You are an inspiration,” one supporter wrote on Instagram. Another wrote: “So sorry. Keep going. Remember – social media isn’t real.”

Eilish is aiming for a fast time in London next month, and hopes to one day eclipse Paula Radcliffe’s British record of 2hr 15min 25sec.

“It’s so unrealistic to think I’m going to go in and break Paula Radcliffe’s record on my first attempt,” she said.

“That’s nonsense. It just isn’t going to happen. But 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.

“But I’m playing more of a long game, and just taking things month by month and year by year rather than trying to rush things.”