Fuelled by a determination to atone for a sub-par performance in the 10,000m final earlier in the week, Megan Keith vowed she would return to Scotstoun for her less favoured 5,000m event with ‘something in my belly to fight for’.
She did not disappoint. Part of a stellar line-up that included fellow Scot Laura Muir, Keith’s bravery in making a dash to lead from the front of the pack with four laps to go did not go unrewarded.
The Inverness athlete held on until about 200 metres from the end when she was overtaken by Rose Davies, the 10,000m champion, and Jessica Hull who sped away to claim an Australian 1-2 in that order.
Keith, though, had done enough by then to see off the rest of her rivals and crossed the line to claim a wholly deserved bronze medal. The roar that greeted that moment was as loud as anything heard in this converted rugby stadium all week.
The 24-year-old collected a saltire flag, received a congratulatory hug from Muir — who finished down in 16th, a place behind the third Scot in the field, Eloise Walker — then set off on a lap of honour.
Just as she had done on Monday night, there was one person in particular she sought out, her 100-year-old grandad, Murray, who was as proud as punch at what he had just witnessed. Keith seemed almost in disbelief as she tried to take in what she had just achieved.
Megan Keith was chuffed to bits with her bronze medal as she lapped up the Scotstoun cheers
‘I’ve not quite come to terms with it because a 5,000m medal wasn’t really what I came for this week,’ she said. ‘But I just wanted to leave it all out there tonight because I didn’t feel like I did myself justice on Monday.
‘The crowd had come to watch Scottish people do their thing so I knew I had to grab the opportunity. I found my grandad and he’s still trying to work out what happened but he’ll be so happy. He just told me how proud he is.’
Muir had elected not to run the mile in favour of this longer distance but was unable to give the home crowd a performance they had hoped to see.
‘It’s really bittersweet,’ said the 1500m champion from 2022. ‘It was a phenomenal atmosphere. I felt great for the first 2k and was loving it. And then I just got a stitch at 3k and trying to run and breathe properly was a bit rough. But I just wanted to finish.’
There was praise for Keith, too. ‘She’s such a talented athlete and I think not necessarily had much exposure yet. So what a way to do it. I’m really proud.’
Callum Newby and Joel McFarlane will head into the second day of the decathlon with an outside shot at a medal. Newby got off to a brilliant start by winning his 100m and finished it by leading them home in the 400m to sit sixth overall. McFarlane, who claimed second in the 400m to land a Scottish 1-2, is ninth. Alyson Bell looked to channel the backing of the crowd in her 200m semi-final but finished sixth to miss out.
Keith hit the front early in a bid to control the race and held on bravely to claim bronze
In the morning session, the Proclaimers boomed out over the speakers as two Scots secured safe passage through to the final of the women’s mile. Jemma Reekie atoned for her disappointment in the 800m by finishing fourth to qualify.
‘I’m really happy to safely get through,’ said the Kilbarchan athlete. ‘I could hear the Scottish music playing and it reminded me where I was! I really want to go out there on Saturday and do what I know I can do.’
She will be joined on the start line of Saturday’s final by Sarah Calvert who squeezed through in the final qualifying spot ahead of team-mate Erin Wallace, whose desperate dive over the line proved in vain.
A burst of acceleration off the final turn helped Nicole Yeargin finish third in her 400m semi-final with a time — 51.98 — that was quick enough to earn her a spot in tomorrow morning’s final.
