Megan in top form to win Cardiff Cross Challenge ahead of Liverpool

Sunday 12th November 2023

Photo by Paul Stillman and via Welsh Athletics

Megan Keith proved her class in cross country once again in Wales at the British Cross Challenge.

The 21-year-old looked in terrific shape at the Cardiff event as she left three Ethiopian women in her wake to win by 17 seconds – with the Euro Cross Trials coming in a fortnight in Liverpool.

It was a good day for a number of Scots in Wales with Angus McMillan of City of York and Falkirk Victoria Harriers athlete, Scott Stirling, both enjoying top ten finishes in a strong Men’s race.

Likina Amebaw had beaten Keith by more than half a minute two weeks earlier in Spain, but Megan turned the tables in Cardiff as she cruised home in 20:35 with runner-up Amebaw clocking 20:52 followed by Asmerech Anley (20:59) and Meseret Yeshaneh (21:02).

Keith won the European U23 5000m title in Finland in July followed by a big 5000m PB of 14:56.98 in London which earned her a call-up to the World Champs in Budapest.

Last December she was runner-up behind Nadia Battocletti of Italy at the European Cross Country Championships U23 race in Turin and the Inverness Harriers/Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounts athlete now hopes to climb to the top of the podium in Brussels next month.

‘I was told my lead was 20m during the second lap and I was doing my best to hold it so I’m glad to hear it grew toward the end,’ said Keith.

‘I took a nice long break after track to refresh and came back feeling fit. I had a bit of a blip about a month ago and was on the bike for a week.

‘I think I rested too hard. I learned that tendons don’t like rest. I think I off-seasoned too hard! But it didn’t seem to set me back.’

Like many athletes in Cardiff, Keith was testing herself ahead of the Euro Trials in Liverpool in a fortnight.

‘It’s always good to focus on something during the winter months and the Euro Cross is a good one to have on the calendar as an aim,’ she said.

Behind Keith and the Ethiopian trio, Jess Warner-Judd was fifth followed by Izzy Fry, the 2022 World University cross-country champion on the comeback from injury. Alice Goodall of Edinburgh AC was 18^th in that race.

Hannah Cameron was fifth in the Women’s one mile event.

In the U17 Women’s race there was a fine second place for Zara Redmond of Kilbarchan AAC with Amy Teasdale of Kilbarchan AAC in sxith and Amy Campbell of Giffnock in 12th.

Calum Dick of Giffnock North Ac was second in the U15 Boys race with club-mate, Louie Muir, in sixth. Alasdair Nugent, also Giffnock, was fifth in the U17 Men’s race.

At U20 level, there were Scots well-placed in the Men’s race as Corey Campbell of Team East Lothian came home in eighth place and Connor Bell of Central AC in 12th.

*Good to see a group of U15 Girls from Scotland competing in Wales – with athletes from Strathean Harriers, Gala Harriers, Airddrie and Aberdeen.

CARDIFF #SALtogether
Number of Scots competing @BritAthletics Cross Challenge in Wales today
Well done to these U15 Girls from Strathearn @GalaHarriers @AberdeenAAC @AirdrieTandF
Safe journey home to all
(Thanks Jenny Dallas for photo) pic.twitter.com/wgJbkrIQ7I

— scottishathletics (@scotathletics) November 11, 2023