Magnificent Megan lands Euro Cross gold with a record winning margin

Sunday 10th December 2023

Photo by Gary Mitchell

Megan Keith claimed the Euro Cross Women’s U23 title in sensational style in the Brussels mud.

The Scot delivered one of THE top performances in the history of the event to win her race by a staggering 83 seconds – with the previous best ever margin at the championships at 39 seconds.

Megan took a vice-like grip from the start and simply kept stretching the lead thereafter over 7k on a muddy course in Belgium.

It helped guide GB and NI to team gold medals with solid runs from two other Scots in that category as Eloise Walker came home in 15^th and Lynn McKenna placed 35^th.

Megan thus added U23 gold to the title she won at U20 level two years ago – with U23 silver last year meaning this is three podiums in a row at the Euro Cross for the athlete raised in the Highlands and developed via Inverness Harriers and Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds.

Finland took the silver and bronze medals as Megan finished in 25:32. Ilona Mononen took the silver in 26:55 and team-mate Nathalie Blomqvist the bronze.

Many congratulations to Megan and her coach, Ross Cairns, her family and all the support team with British Athletics.

British Athletics website report

Megan, Eloise and Lynn celebrate in Brussels (photo via British Athletics)

Afterwards, a delighted Megan Keith said: ‘I am very happy with that one.

‘Innes Fitzgerald (winning the U20 Women’s gold) had a flyer this morning so that certainly inspired me, and I wanted to put in another solid run for the team. It was tough but I am very happy to have won the gold medal.

‘We knew it was a course that you could pay the price on if you started too fast, so I was intending to sit back on the first few laps and work on through, but I think everyone was a bit reluctant to go with the pace I set out at, so I committed to it and I am glad it paid off.

‘It will be a very proud moment for me to be on the podium. It was the first race this year that all my family came to watch, so it’s extra special to win today.’

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Angus McMillan delivered a top half finish in the Senior Men’s race.

Angus was the fourth GB and NI athlete home in 38th place as he made his debut at international level with a solid performance.

The British men missed out on team medals in that race as France, Norway and Belgium made the podium.

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Andrew McGill had been clear his target was to try and improve his position in terms of the six selected GB and Ni athletes.

The Scot was sixth into the team in Liverpool but finished fourth Brit in Brussels with a very fine run for 22^nd place.

And he landed a team silver medal with Ireland taking the victory by just a couple of points with Spain in third.

What a moment for Frank Clement’s grandson who coped admirably with some serious mud in Belgium and worked his way through the race and the field over the 5k course.