Top Scots land Euro Cross selection places after strong runs in Liverpool

Sunday 28th November 2021

Jamie Crowe on his way to third place in the Senior Men’s race (photo by Mark Shearman)

Five Scots secured their places with British Athletics for the Euro Cross in Dublin next month after strong runs in Liverpool

The British Cross Challenge event on Merseyside is always a huge test given the depth of competition but a strong Scottish cohort performed well collectively.

And, led by Olympian Andy Butchart and his Central AC team-mate Jamie Crowe, the team selection announcement on Tuesday should feature a minimum of five Scots with a couple of others hoping for discretionary picks.

Butchart and Crowe were second and third in the Senior Men’s race with Eloise Walker fourth in the U23 Women’s category.

Megan Keith won the U20 women’s race and fifth place for Hamish Armitt was inside the automatic selection line in the U20 Men’s category, too.

In the Senior and U23 Women’s race, Walker took the fourth automatic place in the younger age group as she finished in 10th place overall.

Mhairi Maclennan led home the Scotland women in 17th place followed by Morag Millar (23) and Scout Adkin (26).

Jack Rowe won the Men’s race with Butchart and Crowe right at the front of the race for a long spell.

In terms of Scottish performances, Christian Graham of Lasswade/Dundee Uni was next home in 28th place – seventh U23. Max Milarvie of VP-Glasgow, now based in America, was 33rd with Sol Sweeney of Perth Strathtay one place further back.

Megan clinched her place with a superb run to win the U20 Women’s race outright.

That followed up previous wins in Cardiff and Milton Keynes for the Inverness Harriers athlete who has joined Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds this season after moving for further education.

‘I am very happy with my run and really excited to be with the team for the Euro Cross – it is shaping up like it will be a great event,’ said Megan.

‘Having big events like Liverpool back on is just great. The conditions were firm underfoot, strong winds obviously, but completely different from a couple of years ago here when it was so much mud. It was nothing like that this time.’

Megan Keith savours another superb British Cross Challenge victory (photo by Mark Shearman)

Megan Keith puts in a stunning run to win the World Athletics Junior Women's race!

Jess Bailey finishes just behind her to claim the Under 17 Girls title.

? Results: https://t.co/76lVl50O7S
?Schedule: https://t.co/pmbXfAAWeh #LiverpoolCrossChallenge pic.twitter.com/kHH46yHtLE

— British Athletics (@BritAthletics) November 27, 2021

In that race, Garscube Harriers athlete Louisa Brown was third in the U17 Women’s category and eight overall in the combined U20/U17 standings. Valencia Wright was 12th.

In terms of the U20 Women, there was an 11^th place finish for Hannah Anderson of Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds with Georgia Ledingham inside the top 20 at 18^th place.

Sisters Kirsty and Caitlin Purcell were at 20^th and 23^rd.

Armitt secured his GB and NI vest with a fifth place in the Men’s U20 trial. Hamish was followed home by Lewis Hannigan in sixth place and the Kilbarchan AAC athlete now looks to have a strong claim on the one discretionary place for Dublin for that U20 Men’s team.

A little further back, Alastair Marshall of Central AC took ninth place and Kane Elliott of Falkirk was 12^th.

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Liverpool featured a couple of short races, too, as the Trials for the Short Relay at the Europeans.

With the top two winning automatic places, Ben Potrykus was very close as he placed fourth on 4:31 with four athletes given that time behind race winner Benjamin Williams.

Jenny Selman was also fourth in the Women’s race, won by Alex Bell, with the Fife AC athlete clocking 5:18.

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In the U17 Men’s race there was a superb showing from young Scottish athletes – as four runners went fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth. Reuben Macdonald of Giffnock led that group in fourth followed by Corey Campbell of Team East Lothian and Fraser Gilmour of VP-Glasgow in fifth and sixth. Connor Bell of Central AC was eighth.

In the U15 Boys race, there was a strong run for second place for Craig Shennan of Giffnock North with Oliver Patton of Kilbarchan AAC in fourth. The Giffnock duo of Jack Wallace and Calan Chong were 14^th and 15^th.

There were some fine showings for Giffnock North in the U13 Boys race. Calum Dick took the win and in third was Angus Wilkinson of East Kilbride AC. Giffnock trio of Patrick Fraser, Aaron Reid and Kian Dick finished 10^th,. 13^th and 17^th.