OLYMPIC long distance runner Marc Scott is back in action this afternoon in Tokyo as the North Yorkshire runner has his sights set on a gold medal. 

Scott, 27, will race in the 5000m heats tomorrow at around 12pm UK time after falling short in the men's 10,000m final last week. 

He finished 14th in the race with Ethyopia's Selemon Baraga taking home the gold medal. 

While Scott is looking to make amends in the 5,000m, he has had an excellent 12 months, winning the British Indoor title at 5,000m, breaking British and European indoor records and moving into second place behind Mo Farah on the all-time British outdoor list.

Scott has actually taken Mo Farah's place on the plane to Tokyo as Farah fell short of the qualifying time. 

In the build-up to the tournament, Scott said “It’s a lifelong dream to go to the Olympics and I’m really, really glad to have accomplished that.”

“It’s been a long time in the making – I’ve been running since I was ten years old. Seventeen years later, the work and dedication I’ve put in has really shown.”

Meanwhile, Birtley's own Pat McCormack will be fighting for a gold medal in the final of the men's welterweight boxing final against Cuba's Roniel Iglesias. The fight gets underway at around 11am.

He could become the first person from the region to win a gold medal since Stokesley rower Kat Copeland won the lightweight double sculls at London 2012. 

McCormack was awarded an automatic place in the final after Ireland's Aidan Walsh had to pull out of their quarter final bout due to an ankle injury guaranteeing himself a gold or silver medal in the welterweight division. 

After his quarter final win over Bobo Usmon Baturov, McCormack said: “It’s unbelievable. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of, to get a medal at the Olympics.

“But now’s the time to change the colour. Gold is the dream and then I’ve completed amateur boxing.

“I’m getting better in each fight, I’m warming into the tournament and hopefully that will continue.”

Northallerton's Scott Lincoln kicks off his debut Olympics campaign. He is competing in the Men's Shotput Group B in the afternoon time at around 12:40pm. 

He is an athlete who still works part-time at his father's building firm and was selected to represent GB last month.