Track and Field | 6/26/2016 3:58:00 PM

Complete results
BIRMINGHAM, England – Charlotte Taylor, junior for the San Francisco track and cross country team, raced to an eighth place finish in the 5,000 meters at the British Championships and Olympic Time Trials on Sunday.

The Best of Britain descended on Alexander Stadium to compete for the honor of being crowned British champions as well as capturing a place on the British Athletics team for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this summer. With over 600 athletes from across the country competing in the three day event, Taylor was able to land in the top eight of the 21-woman finals field.

Taylor, formerly a triathlete for her country, finished the race in 16:06.06, just off her previous personal best set at the Stanford Twilight on April 22. Taylor recently concluded her first season for the Green and Gold with a trip to the 2016 NCAA Championships where she finished 17th in the 10,000 meters.

"I am pleased but not surprised at all by Charlotte's performance," noted USF head coach Helen Lehman-Winters. She raced so little during the NCAA season so we knew she had a lot more in her. With another summer of training, she is going to be extremely effective for us up front during the cross country season." 

The race was slow and tactical through the 4K mark before 2008 Olympian Stephanie Twell took the lead to finish in 15:53.35 and claim the title. Coming in second in the race was 2012 Olympian in the 3,000 meter steeplechase Eilish McColgan, who crossed the line in 15:54.75. Mountain runner Emma Clayton, who returned to the track last month for the first time in four years, paced the field through the first 4,000 meters before finishing in ninth. Twell and McColgan's 1-2 finish secures their tickets to Rio.