Magnificent Megan wins British Cross Challenge at Liverpool

Sunday 26th November 2023

Photo via British Athletics

*Please note this is intended as a summary and not a comprehensive list of performances. Report subject to further corrections and scrutiny. Thank You

Megan Keith led the Scottish charge in Liverpool in spectacular style to book her ticket to Brussels and another Euro Cross glory bid.

The Inverness Harriers/Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds athlete won the Senior Women’s race at the British Cross Challenge by fully 53 seconds.

Megan will compete again at U23 level in Belgium – after silver in that category in Italy last year – and will be joined in the team by Eloise Walker of Edinburgh AC.

Three other Scots will harbour realistic hopes of selection via the discretionary places after good runs by Angus McMillan (Senior Men fifth place); Lynn McKenna (U23 Women sixth place) and Andrew McGill (Junior Men sixth place).

Angus McMillan

The Senior Men’s race saw Angus, who represents City of York, finish fifth in the category with the top four landing automatic places.

Jamie Crowe was next best at 15^th in the race and 11^th in the Senior race. Jamie was followed in by Scott Stirling a couple of places further back. Duncan Robinson and Harry Henrikson were tenth and 11^th respectively in the U23 age group.

Scotland fared well in the U23 Women’s classification.

Elosie took third to clinch her automatic place for Belgium and Lynn is very much in the conversation, too, for the remaining two discretionary places. Lynn was sixth so fingers crossed there for the Shettleston Harriers athlete. Sarah Tait had a good run, too.

Megan, Eloise and Lynn celebrate at Liverpool (photo by Angela Mudge)

Millie McClelland-Brooks made the podium in the U17 Women’s race as she took third. None other than American track legend Carl Lewis made the medal presentations!

There was a good run for fifth place in that race for Zara Redmond of Kilbarchan AAC. Jessica Inglis of Law and District was eighth here and Abbie Stewart made the long journey from Stornoway RAC to finish 15th.

Scotland U20 found the competition tough at Sefton Park and Natasha Phillips of Dundee Hawkhill Harriers was out best-placed athelte at 12^th.

Isla Paterson of Gala was 36^th and Isla Hedley of Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds followed her home in 38^th.

Andrew McGill was the best Scot in the U20 Men’s trial race and may now land GB and NI selection – with one place up for grabs outside the top five.

The Glasgow Uni/Livingston AC athlete was followed home in seventh by Fraser Gilmour of Kilbarchan AAC and Corey Campbell of Team East Lothian in ninth place. Central AC’s Connor Bell was in 14^th.

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Craig Shennan of Giffnock North won the U17 Men’s race with a great run.

Andrew McWilliam of Lasswade took third in that race with James Alexander of Garscube in fourth and Oliver Patton of Kilbarchan in fifth for a superb collective Scottish team effort.

Giffnock North’s Alasdair Nugent, at 1oth, made it four in the top ten.

There was a terrific run from Calum Dick for second in the U15 Boys race as the Giffnock North athlete managed to keep running and finish well despite losing a shoe along the way in the Merseyside mud. Falkirk’s Ray Taylor was third to make it two Scots on the podium.

Lous Macrae of Inverness was ninth in the U15 Girls race and Cerys Wright of Lasswade AAC was 13th.

At U13 level, there were runs from Imogen Turner of Team East Lothian at 11th and Niamh Doorley of Inverness Harriers at 14th. Sam Deery of Giffnock took third in the U13 Boys race with Struan McKay of Aberdeen at 13th.

This sums up the XC spirit! Great runs today from many of our girls U13-20 Chloe, Holly, Isabella, Freya, Scarlett, Ruth, Emma and Esme! pic.twitter.com/ZguiV2rWqN

— Giffnock North A.C. (@gnaac1) November 25, 2023