Megan Keith

During her teenage years, Keith competed in orienteering and won European and World Youth Championship gold medals in the sport, before starting to focus on running at around the ages of 16-17.{{cite web|title= Megan Keith: Former orienteering champion navigating her way into athletics limelight|first=Tyrone|last=Smith|website=BBC Scotland Sport|date=7 August 2023|accessdate=7 August 2023|url= https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/66419255.amp}} In 2018, at her international orienteering debut, she became the first ever female to win a gold medal for Great Britain at the European Youth Orienteering Championships in Bulgaria, winning the sprint event by a huge margin of 34 seconds.{{cite web|title=GB Megan Keith (INVOC) on the podium in Gold position!|url=https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/index.php?pg=news_archive&item=4270|website=britishorienteering.org.uk|publisher=British Orienteering Federation|access-date=17 August 2023}} In 2019, Keith went on to be part of the British relay team that won the Junior World Orienteering Championships in Denmark, the first ever British gold medal in the competition.{{cite web |title=JWOC|url=https://www.ontheredline.org.uk/news/jwoc2019-results|website=ontheredline.org.uk|publisher=On the Red Line|access-date=17 August 2023}}{{cite web |title=Team GOLD for the girls! JWOC 2019 roundup|url=https://www.scottish-orienteering.org/news/jwoc-2019-ends-with-gold-for-the-girls-jwoc-roundup/|website=scottish-orienteering.org |publisher=Scottish Orienteering|access-date=17 August 2023}}

Following this success, Keith won Scottish Young Sportswoman of the Year at the Scottish Women in Sport awards.{{cite web|title=Megan Keith scoops National Sports Award|url=https://www.scottish-orienteering.org/seds/megan-scoops-national-sports-award/|website=scottish-orienteering.org|publisher=Scottish Orienteering|access-date=17 August 2023}}{{cite news|title=Inverness teenager wins Scottish young sportswoman of the year award|url=https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/sport/inverness-teenager-wins-scottish-young-sportswoman-of-the-year-award-186255/|access-date=17 August 2023|work=Inverness Courier |date=14 November 2019}} Immediately after this award, Keith came 27th at the 2019 European U20 Cross Country Championship in her debut for Great Britain in athletics.

An Inverness Harriers athlete, and Edinburgh University student, Keith ran a new personal best at the 2021 European Athletics U23 Championships held in Tallinn, running 9:16.50 in the 3000m.{{cite web|url=https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/tallinnten-fourth-place-finishes-for-megan-and-kane-on-the-track/|website=Scottish Athletics|date=13 July 2023|title= Fourth place finishes for Megan and Kane at Euro U20s|access-date=13 July 2021}} Keith won gold at the European U20 Cross Country Championship in Dublin in December 2021.{{cite web|url=https://runnersgazette.com/2021/12/18/megan-keith-from-inverness-wins-u20-gold/|website=Runners Gazette|accessdate=13 July 2023|title= Megan Keith from Inverness wins U20 Gold|date=18 December 2021}}

In 2022, she became the British under-23 3000m champion as well as Scottish Under-23 Cross Country Champion.{{cite web|url=https://athleticsweekly.com/young-athlete-news/megan-keith-uses-killer-instinct-to-make-her-mark-in-athletics-1039957143/|website=Athletics Weekly|title= Megan Keith uses ‘killer instinct’ to make her mark in athletics|first= Georgie|last= Heath |date=June 9, 2022}}

In December, she finished second in the 2022 European Cross Country Championships under-23 race, in Turin.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/63934070|title= European Cross Country Championships: Megan Keith takes silver in under-23 race|website=BBC Sport|date=11 December 2022|accessdate=13 July 2023}}

In February 2023, Keith was named in the Great Britain squad for the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia,{{cite web|url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/other/5348341/athletics-inverness-harriers-megan-keith-makes-senior-great-britain-squad-grade-for-world-cross-country-championships/|website=Press and Journal|accessdate=13 July 2023|title= Athletics: Inverness Harriers’ Megan Keith makes senior Great Britain squad grade for World Cross Country Championships}} where she placed 53rd.{{cite web |title=U20 Women's Result |url=https://worldathletics.org/results/world-athletics-cross-country-championships/2023/44th-world-athletics-cross-country-championsh-7138983/women/senior-race/final/result#resultheader|website=worldathletics.org|publisher=World Athletics|access-date=17 August 2023}}

She was selected as part of the Great Britain team for the 2023 European Athletics U23 Championships held from in July 2023 in Espoo, Finland.{{cite web|url=https://www.britishathletics.org.uk/news-and-features/keely-hodgkinson-and-jeremiah-azu-to-captain-gb-ni-at-european-u23-championships/|website=British Athletics|date=13 July 2023|title= Keely Hodgkinson and Jeremiah Azu to Captain GB & NI at European U23 Championships}} She won the 5000m gold medal ahead of Spaniard Maria Forero and compatriot Eloise Walker.{{cite web|url=https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/87556-2/|website=Scottish Athletics|accessdate=13 July 2023|title= Fabulous in Finland! Megan Keith wins gold in Women’s 5000m at Euro U23 Champs|date= 13 July 2023}}{{cite web|url= https://athleticsweekly.com/event-reports/megan-keith-and-charles-hicks-win-5000m-gold-in-espoo-1039969560/|website=Athletics Weekly|title= Megan Keith and Charles Hicks win 5000m gold in Espoo|first=Jason|last=Henderson |date=July 14, 2023|accessdate=15 July 2023}}{{cite web|date=14 July 2023|accessdate=15 July 2023|title=

Megan Keith wins gold in 5,000m at European Under-23 Championships|url=

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/66198961|website=BBC Sport}} In July 2023, competing at the Diamond League event in London, she set a new 5000m personal best time of 14:56.98.{{cite web|url=https://london.diamondleague.com/lists-results-london/#baseFrame%23__athDisciplineRoot%23DisciplineInit%23London2023_TIMING_ATHW5000M---DIAMOND---FNL-000100--_json%23%23main-frame_content%23__athRun%23RunSubFrame%23London2023_TIMING_ATHW5000M---DIAMOND---FNL-000100--_json|website=London.Diamondleague.com|accessdate=23 July 2023|date=23 July 2023|title=5000M}} She was chosen to represent Great Britain at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.britishathletics.org.uk/news-and-features/great-britain-and-northern-ireland-squad-selected-for-the-2023-world-athletics-championships/|website=Britishathletics.org.uk|accessdate=28 July 2023|date=28 July 2023|title= GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND SQUAD SELECTED FOR THE 2023 WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPS}}

She won the Cardiff Cross Challenge in November 2023.{{cite web|date=12 November 2023|title= Keith and Kiprop claim Cardiff Cross Challenge crowns|url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-tour/news/cardiff-cross-challenge-2023-keith-kiprop |website=World Athletics|accessdate=31 January 2025}} She won the U23 race at the 2023 European Cross Country Championships in Brussels in December 2023 and also claimed gold as part of the British squad which won the U23 team event.{{cite web|date=10 December 2023|accessdate=10 December 2023|website=BBC Sport|title=

European Cross Country Championships: Great Britain's Abbie Donnelly claims bronze|url=

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/67676141}}

In January 2024, she set a European U23 record running in the Valencia 10K as she posted a time of 31.22m beating a record set by German athlete Alina Reh in 2018. The run was also the third fastest by a Scots athlete over 10,000m on the road - with only Liz and Eilish McColgan having recorded faster times.{{cite web|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=16 January 2024|title= Scots runner Megan Keith sets new European U23 record at 10,000m|date=15 January 2024|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/67988875}} In March 2024, she ran a 10,000 metres time of 30:36.84 in San Juan Capistrano, California, to place fourth on the UK all-time list for the event.{{cite web|url=https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/megan-10k-run/|website=Scottish Athletics|date=17 March 2024|accessdate=17 March 2024|title= Megan lands Olympic qualifier in 10,000m – and Jake, Callum on way back, too}} The event was the first time that Keith ever ran 10,000m on the track.{{cite news |last1=Boswell |first1=Rachel |title=Who is 10,000m Olympian Megan Keith? |url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/other/who-is-olympic-hopeful-megan-keith/ar-BB1qSNLd?ocid=BingNewsVerp |access-date=15 August 2024 |work=Runner's World UK |date=14 August 2024}} In April 2024, she set a British under-23 record time of 14:43.24 in the 5,000m at the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/articles/ceklrlpmdxmo.amp|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=29 April 2024|title= Keith records second Olympic qualifying time |date=27 April 2024}}

Keith secured a place in the 10,000m at the 2024 Summer Olympics by winning the Night of the 10,000m PBs in London on 18 May having previously achieved the qualifying standard.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/articles/cn33lry83x3o|title=Britain's Keith wins in London to claim Olympic spot|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2024-05-18}}

She was selected to run the 10,000 metres for Britain at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome.{{cite web|url=https://www.britishathletics.org.uk/news-and-features/reigning-world-champion-katarina-johnson-thompson-named-in-strong-gb-ni-team-for-european-athletics-championships-rome-2024/|title= KATARINA JOHNSON-THOMPSON NAMED IN STRONG GB & NI TEAM FOR EUROPEANS ROME 2024|website=British Athletics|accessdate=28 May 2024|date=28 May 2024}} She won her first senior medal taking bronze, in only her third 10,000 metres race on the track in a time of 31:04.07.{{cite web|url=https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/sport/inverness-athlete-claims-bronze-medal-in-10-000-metres-at-eu-353000/|title=Inverness athlete Megan Keith claims bronze medal at European Championship 10,000 metres|publisher=Inverness Courier|access-date=2024-06-11}}{{cite web|first=Sean|last=Ingle|website=The Guardian|accessdate=12 June 2024|title=Daryll Neita misses out on 200m gold by 0.01sec … after thinking she had won|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jun/11/daryll-neita-european-championships-athletics}}{{cite web|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=12 June 2024|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/articles/cd11z0yz9ewo.amp|title= 'Distraught' Neita wins European 200m silver|first=Harry|last=Poole|date=11 June 2024}}

Keith was selected to run the 10,000m at the Olympic Games in Paris. Although she also qualified for the 5000m, she was not selected. In the 10,000m final, Keith finished in last place after sustaining an ankle injury, being lapped by the leaders and receiving a time of 33:19.{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Becca |title=What happened to Megan Keith? Why the runner finished her race alone |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/what-happened-to-megan-keith-why-the-runner-finished-her-race-alone/ar-AA1ozQzL?ocid=BingNewsVerp |access-date=15 August 2024 |work=Today |date=11 August 2024}}{{cite web |title=Support act: Eilish on hand to help Megan after tough night |url=https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/eilish-megan/ |publisher=Scottish Athletics |access-date=15 August 2024}}

She competed over 5000m at the 2025 Golden Gala in Rome, part of the 2025 Diamond League. She retained her British women's 10,000m national title in Birmingham in June 2025, running a time of 31:19.88.{{cite web|website=Athletics Weekly|accessdate=15 June 2025|url=https://athleticsweekly.com/news/emile-cairess-and-megan-keith-claim-british-10000m-titles-1040002178/|title= EMILE CAIRESS AND MEGAN KEITH CLAIM BRITISH 10,000M TITLES|first=Jasmine|last=Collett|date=14 June 2025}}

At University Keith studies Sport Science{{cite news |last1=Henderson |first1=Michelle |title=‘We are all really proud of her’: Home crowd cheers on Inverness athlete Megan Keith in Paris Olympic final |url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/inverness/6553604/aathletes-gather-to-cheer-on-megan-keith-in-olympic-final/ |access-date=15 August 2024 |work=Press & Journal |date=9 August 2024}} and shares a flat with fellow GB athlete Alyson Bell and triathlete Isla Britton.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/66477794.amp|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=16 August 2023|date=15 August 2023|title= World Athletics Championships: Alyson Bell heads to Budapest with famous faces|first=Tyrone|last=Smith}}

{{reflist}}

{{Footer U23 European Champions 5000m Women}}

{{British Athletics Championships women's 10000 metres champions}}

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Category:2002 births

Category:Living people

Category:Sportspeople from Inverness

Category:Scottish female middle-distance runners

Category:British female middle-distance runners

Category:Scottish female long-distance runners

Category:British female long-distance runners

Category:21st-century British sportswomen

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain

Category:21st-century Scottish sportswomen