Megan Keith secured her Olympic debut in Paris with a brilliant victory at the British 10,000 metres trials and then revealed she’d had to tell her supporters to dial down the hype.
The 22-year-old from Inverness completed the selection formalities late on Saturday evening in 31 minutes 3.02 seconds.
Keith rounded off a pitch-perfect showing at the Night of the 10Ks meeting in Highgate by edging out American challenger Fiona O’Keeffe in a punchy sprint to the finish line.
Earning the qualifying mark in California in March meant all she required on Saturday was to be among the top-two Brits.
Her closest domestic challenger, Jess Warner-Judd, was 33 seconds adrift and short of UK Athletics Olympic standard, paving the way for the absent Eilish McColgan to get the nod from selectors.
Yet, although Keith had a clear path, booking a ticket to the Games meant staying patient and holding her nerve rather than risking running out of steam.
The Edinburgh University student said: “I just had to take the opportunity that was there and I just gave it a good shot.
“I knew it was within touching distance, but I just didn’t want to get carried away.
“A lot of people also thought when I had run the time back in March that I had qualified.
“I’ve been going around the last few months, getting them to know that I still have to go to trials to come top two. So it’s kind of been there in my head.
“But I’m just really happy it’s all gone to plan.”
Keith could make it a Paris double
The trajectory for the young Highlander is very much upwardly mobile.
Claiming the European Under-23 title over 5000 metres last July was followed by a world championship debut in Budapest that brought disappointment from missing out on the final amid a slow tactical race in her heat.
The form from a second European cross-country gold was translated on to the track when becoming the fifth-quickest British woman of all time over 5000m with a mark of 14:43.24 at April’s Diamond League meeting in Shanghai.
That performance means she would nail down a double tilt in Paris if she comes first or second at next month’s UK trials in Manchester.
Whether she opts in, or rests up, will be a decision taken in tandem with her coach, Ross Cairns.
She said: “I have the time to secure a spot. I would have to come top two at the trials, but I’m also aware that I’ve been racing since March now.
“So to me, it feels like we’re in the depth of track season, but it’s still two months until the Olympics.”
Such is Keith’s promise that she could skip what will probably be a bunfight in Manchester and ask to be considered for a discretionary pick.
She said: “If it was an option, I probably wouldn’t say no.”
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