Inverness teenager qualifies for European Championships after British bronze

MEGAN Keith has qualified for the European Cross Country Championships in Portugal after winning bronze at the British Cross Challenge in Liverpool.

The 17-year-old finished third in the under-20 race which was used for selection for the Great Britain squad for the European Championships in Lisbon next month.

Keith, a sixth year pupil at Millburn Academy, was involved in a sprint finish for the line and was only two seconds behind winner Saskia Millard who claimed gold in 15:32.

She was one second behind Izzy Fry who claimed silver in 15:33.

The top five finishers in the race qualified for the British squad with Keith's time of 15:34 seven seconds ahead of Amelia Samuels in fourth place.

It has been an incredible 2019 for Keith who runs for Inverness Harriers and Inverness Orienteering Club.

She won gold in the women's relay at the Junior World Orienteering Championships in Denmark.

She also won a gold medal for Great Britain in the individual sprint at the European Orienteering Championships in France.

Keith also won under-20 gold at the National Short Course Cross Country Championship in Kirkcaldy and also claimed bronze in the senior race earlier this month.

She also won the River Ness 10k in Inverness back in October in her first competitive race over the distance.

Keith was also named Scottish young sportswoman of the year at the Scottish Women in Sports Awards in Glasgow.

Strathpeffer athlete Hamish Hickey is also in contention to receive a discretionary place in the Great Britain squad after finishing seventh in the under-20's men race.

The University of Stirling student, who started his athletics career with Ross County Athletics Club, crossed the line in a time of 21:40, 27 seconds behind winner Matthew Willis.

But he was only five seconds behind a place in the top-five which are automatic places for the European Championships.

Fortrose brother and sister Lucas and Anna Cairns, who both represent Inverness Harriers, also competed at Liverpool.

Anna finished seventh in the under-15 girls' race in 11:30 while Lucas finished eighth in the under-17 race in a time of 18:45.

Lucas and Anna won the men's and women's race in the Inverness 5k back in March with Anna also winning gold in the River Ness 10k in October.