Silver lining for Megan to lead GB and NI to Euro Cross team golds

Sunday 11th December 2022

Alice Goodall, Megan Keith and Eloise Walker show off their Women’s U23 Euro Cross team gold medals in Turin (photo by Mark Pollard)

British Athletics website report from Turin

Megan Keith underlined her class on the European cross country stage once again with a superb run in Turin.

The Scot took a richly deserved silver medal in the Women’s U23 race at the Euro Cross to lead the British team to gold medal glory.

Megan was beaten on the day only by Italy’s home favourite, Nadia Battocletti, who edged away on the final lap of the undulating 6k course.

It was a superb spectacle – with athletes even running through a castle museum at one stage – and the Scottish trio selected by GB and NI did themselves and their coaches and clubs really proud.

‘I am delighted with that because in my head I was thinking that if I cam second that will pretty much feel like the gold because Nadia is such a good cross country runner and the race is in Italy,’ said Megan.

‘The course was brutal to be honest. I thought coming from Scotland I could cope with hills but there were some very difficult bits today – and very slippy mud, too.’

Women’s U23 Result

Watch the race in full on our YouTube Chanel – with thanks to European Athletics:

BBC Scotland website coverage

With Alex Millard taking bronze behind Megan, Edinburgh AC’s Eloise Walker was home in 11^th place and Alice Goodall of Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds was just behind in 13^th place.

Eloise thus ended a rollercoaster year in a good place after of course appearing for Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games int he 5000m final.

Alice made her debut in a GB and NI vest with that excellent run belying the fact this was her first outing at this kind of international level.

Megan for her part was stepping up from the U20 age group after being champion in that category last year in Dublin.

Her approach was no different despite facing elder athletes and she tracked Battocletti almost throughout the race before the Italian successfully defended the title she had won in Ireland last December.

*Shettleston Harriers athlete, Seyd Taha Ghafari raced for the Refugee Team in Turin.

Second at the Lindsays West District XC at Kilmarnock last week,  Seyd finished in 49th place in the Senior Men’s race won once again by Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

The full GB and NI team for Women’s U23 in Turin (photo via British Athletics Twitter)

The Tartan Army are always a feature of the Euro Cross and the lads from East Kilbride AC were in Turin to cheer on Eloise, Alice and Megan (photo with thanks to Kenny Clements)

 

Tags: Alice Goodall, Eloise Walker, Euro Cross, Italy, Megan Keith