I wish we can speak out more - Eilish McColgan confronts online trolls with empowering message for young women

Social media often exposes sports figures to a constant barrage of negativity and abuse, which four-time Olympian Eilish McColgan has taken a firm stand against this online hate, using her platform to inspire confidence in young women.

The decorated Scottish runner, a multiple medalist at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships, recently spoke out about the impact of online trolls. She emphasized her desire to be a role model for girls who may feel insecure about their bodies.

"Particularly young women who are maybe getting bullied at school for the way they look and for just being a beanpole and tall like myself, but it’s just their natural body shape," McColgan said in an exclusive interview with BBC Sports Scotland.

"I want them to feel more confident seeing me stand up for myself and be like, ‘This is me. I’m never going to look like Kylie Jenner... Why should I sort of keep quiet and hide away?'"

While McColgan noted that she has become "numb" to most of the abuse directed at her, she revealed that the comments crossed a line when they targeted her fiancé, fellow athlete Michael Rimmer.

The couple got engaged against the scenic backdrop of Mt. Fuji, but the "disgusting" abuse that followed their announcement post gave her a new perspective.

"It wasn't actually until me and Michael got engaged and I posted a picture of us... the abuse was disgusting," she confessed. "It’s the first time I got a little bit upset reading what they were saying about Michael and about us as a partnership."

This experience made her realize the emotional toll such comments take on her own family. "That’s how my mum feels when she reads it about me or my dad feels when he reads it about me," she explained. "It sort of made me realize... other people’s emotions are involved in it."

The incident strengthened her resolve to speak out against the darker side of the internet. Unfazed by the negativity, McColgan continues to excel in her sport. The 35-year-old recently set a new women's European 10km record, clocking an impressive 30:07.

She concluded with a message of self-acceptance and pride: "I’m proud of what my body’s achieved... I’m so fortunate to be in a job that I love with people around me that I love and doing a sport that I love."