GUY Learmonth admits he was both surprised and humbled at being voted by his fellow athletes as captain of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for this weekend’s European Indoor Championships in Glasgow – then set his sights on leading Team GB and NI to the top of the medal table.

The Borderer - looking to recapture the 800m title claimed by his idol Tom McKean the last time these championships visited this country, at the Kelvin Hall back in 1990 - won the most votes from the record 49-strong team which will compete at the Emirates Arena from Friday through to Sunday.

The 26-year-old, who is not on the British Athletics world class performance funding programme, has already committed to running through the pain barrier at this year’s championships. He will wear a protective splint on his right hand, after sustaining a painful injury whilst punching the track after a crash at the recent Muller Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham.

He follows in the footsteps of his fellow Scot Eilidh Doyle, 100m hurdler Andrew Pozzi, 800m runner Shelayna Oskan-Clarke and 400m runner Dai Greene in being chosen as captain at this event, with part of his role delivering the pre-Championships captain’s speech at the British team meeting.

“It is an absolute honour to be named captain of this incredibly strong British team ahead of a home European Championships this weekend,” said Learmonth, who is attached to the Lasswade club and coached by Henry Gray. “It is something that never crossed my mind, it has come as a total surprise. To everyone that voted for me, thank you, I am truly humbled.”

There is little in the way of modesty when it comes to his ambitions for this team, which contained nine Scots, most notably Laura Muir – who will bid to defend her 1500m and 3000m crowns from Belgrade in 2017 at a venue where she has ran more laps than anyone.

Learmonth, who made his senior British debut in these chamionships in Prague four years ago, is one of just a handful of men in the 800m with times underneath 1.47. He ran an indoor personal best of 1.46.98 in Boston then secured his place on the British team with silver at the British Indoor Championships.

“Like every championship, we need to set our goals high,” he added. “I firmly believe we can finish at the top of that medal table and there is no better place to do it than on home soil. I will do my absolute best on and off the track for the rest of the team and be the best captain I can possibly be. Glasgow, get ready, this is going to be one to remember.

“I am delighted for Guy that he has been chosen as captain for what is truly a home championships for him,” said Neil Black, the performance director of British Athletics. “Once again, we have asked selected athletes to choose who they want to lead the team and this will mean and incredible amount to Guy. To know you have the admiration of your peers is a special feeling for any athletes and I have no doubt that he will lead by example on and off the track in Glasgow and go above an beyond in his role as captain.”