Megan Keith won a bronze medal in the women's 5000m at the Commonwealth Games on Thursday, racing at Scotstoun in front of her grandfather, Dr. Murray Kirkwood, who turned 100 years old earlier this year.
Kirkwood had set two goals for himself: reach his centenary and attend the Commonwealth Games. He accomplished both, and watched his granddaughter reach the podium in the process. He is a Glasgow Warriors supporter and had delivered the match ball before a Warriors match against Benetton in March, days before his 100th birthday. According to BBC Sport, Kirkwood described that night as the night of his life.
Keith had something to say about that.
"He's a bit of a phenomenon," Keith told BBC Scotland. "He worked hard to get here tonight, hopefully he's had the week of his life."
"He's proud of me whatever I do but I was so happy to put in a performance I can be proud of alongside him."
"When he delivered the match ball, he said that was the night of his life, so I was trying my best to rival that tonight... I'll have to go and ask him for his verdict!"
The bronze was a turnaround from her earlier race at these Games. Keith, 24, finished ninth in the 10,000m, the distance she considers her stronger event. That result left her with little pressure heading into the 5000m final.
"If you look at Monday on paper, that was pretty disappointing," she said. "I don't think you'd put me in the running for a 5km medal since the 10km is normally closer to being my strength, so that definitely helped, the removal of that pressure."
"I think I knew if I felt horrendous and dropped out or fell off the pace again it wouldn't really matter so I may as well shoot my shot."
Keith bided her time in the middle of the field before making her move with four laps remaining, weaving past pacesetters from Kenya and Uganda. She held her position as Australian pair Rose Davies, who won gold, and Jessica Hull, the 1500m Olympic silver medallist, pulled away in the final lap. Davies had won the 10,000m gold earlier in the Games. Keith crossed the line third.
The Inverness runner noted that having two other Scottish athletes in the race helped her run freely, and that the home crowd added to the energy on the track.
