Sarah, from Avonbridge, was one of only five Scots in the Great Britain team for a competition in which each of the 12 countries taking part fields one competitor in each event. Points are awarded 12 to the winner, and so on, down to one for finishing 12th.
For most of the race, Sarah was content to sit in second place in a four-runner breakaway group behind leader Liv Westphal of France.
It wasn’t until the last 800 metres that the pace stepped up a gear and, at the bell, it was still all to play for. It was Germany’s Hanna Klein who made the decisive break and pulled clear to win in 15m 39s 00s. In the battle for second place, Sarah (15:45.23) just lost out to Spaniard Maintane Melero in 15:44.45.
The Lothian athlete’s sterling effort earned 10 points for the GB team, which finished in fifth place overall to preserve its place in Europe’s elite top league.
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For Sarah, it was a return to the city where she won her first GB vest back in 2010 at the World Cross Country Championship. On that occasion, she competed in the Junior Women’s race. Last month, she was part of the GB team which won the Europa Cup 10,000 metres Championship in London.
Ron Loewen was the only LRC member competing in the Grangemouth Open Graded meeting on Wednesday evening.
Running in the mixed 3000 metres race, Ron finished in third place in the 23-runner field in a new PB time of 9:00.79. The race was won by Michael Wright, Central AC, 8;52.53, with Tom Cunningham, Corstophine AC, in second place 8;55.77.
Aaron Smyth was the only LRC junior member taking part in the Scottish Athletics Age-Group Championships at Grangemouth at the weekend. He just missed out qualifying for the final of the Under-13 200 metres, finishing fourth in his heat in 0:30.54. Aaron was on course for a good time in the Under-13 800 metres, only to be disqualified for breaking from his stagger lane a stride too early.