European Cross Country Champion Megan Keith and Marathon Man Jake Smith will head the fields at the Asics Home International 5km races in Cardiff on Saturday

The event organised as a partnership between Podium 5km and Welsh Athletics will host a competition between England, Scotland, Wales, Birmingham University, Sunday Plodcast, Sportsshoes and Puresport, using a multi-lap course around Copers Field in the Welsh Capital and starting with the supporting races at 5pm.

Clash of the titans in the women’s race

The women’s field includes some absolutely stellar names.

Megan Keith (17:00) hasn’t run a 5km race on the road since 2020 but the Inverness Athlete has great pedigree at Cross Country and stormed to victory at the U20 race at the Spar European Cross Country Championships in Dublin last December. She is also the Scottish Champion on the Country.

Megan Davies (16:00), Steph Pennycook (15:58) and Scottish 5,000m Champion Annabel Simpson (15:54) will join her in the Scotland Team.

England will be represented by England National Cross Country Champion Jessica Gibbon (16:05), Rebecca Johnson (16:26) , Elle Twentyman (15:46) and England debutant Ellie Wallace (15:59).

Jenny Nesbitt (15:44) will be entirely at home on the loop of Bute Park where she trains and will be joined in the Welsh team by Sophie Harris (16:19), Kate Roberts (16:41), and Welsh 10km Champion Olivia Tsim (16:20).

European Indoor 1500m Silver medallist Holly Archer (15:50) is the standout entry in the Sportsshoes team. Joined by Eleanor Bolton (15:55) who set her P.B. with victory at the Podium 5k in Leicester.

Photo: Lindie Naughton

Smith seeks to preserve his record

Jake Smith’s (13:59) interest was sparked when he heard that race organisers Sportsshoes had offered a prize to the man that stole his Welsh all-comers record of 13:59. He will be joined in the Sunday Podcast team by Scott Halsted (14:13).

Cameron Bell (14:20), Jonathan Cornish (14:15), Ricky Harvie (14:04) and Callum Jones (14:20) will represent England.

Alasdair Kinloch (14:24), Stuart McCallum (14:36) Angus Mcmillan (14:29) and Ben McMillan will carry Scottish hopes.

Dan Nash (14:18) will lead the Welsh team here, joined by Remi Adebiyi (14:29), Jonathan Butler (14:40) and recently crowned Welsh 1500m / 3,000m Champion, Lloyd Sheppard-Brown (14:33).

Alex George (14:18) has a 5,000m best of 13:33 from June and will race for Puresport on Saturday. Aldershot, Farnham and District’s Joshua Grace (13:56) is another sub 14 minute performer in action.

Jake Smith Credit: Mick Hall