The beginning of July - 1st and 12th - saw secondary schools and college pupils in action at both Cardiff and Aberdare.
The 74th edition of the Welsh Schools National Track & Field Championships returned to the Cardiff International Sports Athletics Stadium, Leckwith on Saturday 1st July.
There were over 500 athletes competing, representing one of the eight districts - Afan Nedd Tawe, Cardiff & Vale, Dyfed, Eryri, Glamorgan Valleys, North East Wales, Powys and South East Wales. The age groups were: Junior (Year 8 & 9); Middle (Year 10 & 11) and Senior (Year 12 & 13).
For many, SIAB Schools International call ups were at stake as the annual fixture between Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland takes place in Grangemouth, Scotland on the weekend.
Young athletes from around twenty Dyfed secondary schools and colleges (Pembrokeshire, Llanelli, Brianne and Ceredigion areas) were selected to compete in the Welsh Capital following the district's athletics championships at Carmarthen Athletics Track in June. The team of sixty-six sprinters, endurance runners, jumpers and throwers included a mix of the region's club athletes as well as those experiencing Welsh schools championship level for the first time.
Thanks to the teachers from Dyfed and the Brianne area in particular who selected teams, took on team management duties, prepared the athletes and officiated on the pole vault in Cardiff - they all did a great job!
Dyfed Schools athletes 2023:
Josh Peel, Cai Allan, Guto Bishop, David Thomas, Ryan Thomas, Joe Wood, Thomas O'Toole, Sam Griffiths, Jamie Tester, Alex Coaker, Ifan Rishko, William Harries, Iwan Wilson, Osian Roberts, Finlay Saycell, Jake Lynock, Taliesin Thomas, Cellan Allcock, Jac Johnson, Finley Bruce, Ifan Bowen, Dafydd Pawlett, Lewis Rossiter, Charlie Eatly, James Bentley, Dylan Griffiths, Joe Payne, Iwan Thomas, Rhys Llewellyn, Rhys Lloyd Roberts, Kodi Penn-O'Hare, Jeston Allan, Ollie Thompson, Steffan Thomas, Aled Davies, Rhys Lewis
Luned Defis, Ffion Mabey, Sophie Llewellyn, Amelia Williams, Megan Williams, Chloe Thomas, Lleucu Lloyd, Ellimay Williams, Sophia Reid-Thomas, Beatrice Morgan, Amy Tucker, Nele Owen, Carys Kenniford, Darcy Coslett, Indi Lynch, Tirion Sedgewick, Frances Mackie, Ffion Ouseley, Maisie Owen, Connie Crook, Lyra Roberts, Ella Moir, Chloe Phillips, Anest Jones, Rose Price, Eleri Morgan, Mari Wilson, Holly John, Tegan Hilton, Magi Dawney
At one of the biggest grass roots competitions for secondary schools in the summer term, the midweek Welsh Schools NASUWT Cymru Wales Cup & Plate Finals took place at the Ron Jones Stadium in Aberdare on Wednesday 12th July.
The cup competition has been organised each year since 1988 while the plate final was added twenty years later. Schools from across the eight districts in Wales qualified for finals day and travelled to the facility in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Each district had one team in the cup competition and one team in the plate competition per age group.
On a great afternoon of athletics, the under 14's and the under 16 age groups contested the sprint hurdles, 100m, 200m, 300m, 800m, 1500m, 4 x 100m Relay, Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Shot, Discus and Javelin over a five-hour programme.
Seven schools and eight teams from Dyfed qualified to represent the District in Aberdare, congratulations to all the schools and athletes on their performances.
Under 14 Girls - CUP: Ysgol Y Strade - PLATE: Ysgol Penweddig
Under 14 Boys - CUP: Ysgol Dyffryn Aman - PLATE: Ysgol Caer Elen
Under 16 Girls - CUP: Queen Elizabeth High School - PLATE: Ysgol Bro Myrddin
Under 16 Boys - CUP: Ysgol Dyffryn Aman - PLATE: Haverfordwest High School