Respectable result for Megan Keith at World Athletic Championships as Inverness Harrier life member knocked out before final
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Megan Keith will not be racing in the World Athletics Championships final despite recording her second best time ever in the 5000m heat.
The 21-year-old from Inverness was up against stiff competition – including five of the top 10 ranked runners in the world – with only eight qualifying spots available for Saturday's final.
Keith generally remained in the pack, jostling for position in the close to 30 degree heat, but there was always someone just too quick for her out in front.
Still, the Inverness Harrier life member recorded a time of 15:21.94 as she crossed the line – which is her second fastest time ever.
The only occasion where Keith went faster was at the Diamond League fixture in London where she beat the qualifying standard to make it to Hungary in the first place.
She really was rubbing shoulders with the best of the best, too, finishing just one place behind Uganda's Sarah Chelangat – who also did not qualify despite being ranked eighth in the world.
Keith actually went faster than multiple top-50 ranked runners, so there is every chance she will have cracked that list herself when the World Athletics Championships results are factored into the rankings.
"It was a bit of a whirlwind," Keith told Scottish Athletics after the race.
"It was everything I'd been told a World Championships entails, so I feel like I need a few minutes to think it over and soak it up.
"It was like nothing I've ever experienced in a race before.
"I was trying to conserve energy as best I could, but there was so much chopping and changing in the lanes – I think I spent as much time moving sideways as I did moving forward.
"I had a go at pushing it on at one point, but I think I left it too late to make an impact.
"I'm happy and proud of how I did today."
Keith continued: "This has been an incredible learning experience. I'm looking forward to a break from racing and training now, but I will sit down and think about what I'm taking on for next year from it.
"It has been an incredible stepping stone for me."
