Megan Keith returns to action for the first time since Paris Olympic Games to anchor Inverness Harriers to Scottish Road Relay Championships gold medal
Olympic athlete Megan Keith anchored the Inverness Harriers’ women’s road relay team to a national title in her first race since Paris last summer.
The 22-year-old became the club’s first Olympian when she raced over 10,000m in the French capital, but had been battling an injury that kept her out for the remainder of 2024.
However, she would return to action in Harriers colours at the Scottish Road Relay Championships in Livingston yesterday, anchoring a team that featured Caitlyn Heggie, Helen Leigh and Jenny Bannerman.
The Harriers squad crossed the finishing line in a time of one hour, 45 minutes and 22 seconds, meaning they recorded a winning margin of 31 seconds from Edinburgh Athletics Club, with Central Athletics Club third.
Heggie got the team off to a fine start, coming home in second place in 18:14 on the hilly first (short) leg of around 5k.
Leigh then kept the side in the podium places on the 9.4k second (long) lap (36:43), crossing the line third and handing to Bannerman (18:26) – the only returning member from a Harriers squad that won bronze 10 years ago.
Bannerman remained in third but ate heavily into the leads of both title rivals, leaving Keith hard on the heels of Central and ready to chase down the 85-second gap to Edinburgh.
Keith quickly moved into second and then into the lead with a mile to go, before opening up a decisive winning advantage for an Inverness team comprising two veterans, an under-20 athlete and an Olympian.
“It was a really good feeling,” Keith told Scottish Athletics.
“I was hearing whispers that there was a keen interest from Inverness in wanting to come and compete, so when Ross and I were looking at a place to get the racing legs sharp again we thought why not come and do my bit for the team.
“I got to race in Scotland, and in Inverness colours, so it was fun to come out and do my bit.
“It’s been a mix of emotions (since Paris). It was a long Autumn rehabbing a pretty gnarly injury, so I got a nice break and I’ve been getting back into the swing of training again.
“We thought it was the right time to get the racing shoes on again, so I’m happy to be back at it.”