The cross country and indoor athletics season ended during the month of March, with club, school, regional and international events staged.
The events in Wales and further afield across the UK have included the fifth John H Collins Gwent Cross Country League, the finale of the British Athletics Cross Challenge which incorporated the UK Inter Counties Cross Country Championships, University of Birmingham Winter Throws Meet, Welsh Schools Sportshall Athletics Final in South East Wales and the Brecon Carreg Cardiff Bay 10K & Junior Fun Run 2023.
At the end of the winter season, English Schools were the hosts of the 2023 SIAB Schools Cross Country International this year, held on Saturday at Liverpool where the Dyfed schools district was well represented.
Below are the Carmarthen Harriers club results from events held between March 4th and March 26th at Pontypool, Loughborough, Cwmbran, Birmingham, Atlanta (America), Liverpool and Cardiff.
John H Collins Gwent Cross Country League Fixture 5 - Pontypool Park (Saturday 4th March)
The John H Collins Gwent Cross Country League season concluded with the fifth and final fixture on a tough course at Pontypool Park on Saturday 4th March.
Jessica Hyland (2nd - U20W), Tomos Cai Davies (4th - Novice Boys) were presented with their individual trophies in the bandstand.
Carmarthen Harriers Results were:
Novice Girls: Paige-lily Williams (7:27); Aeronwy Morgan-Fisher (7:57)
Novice Boys: Tomos Cai Davies (5:50)
Under 13 Boys: Toby Anthony (12:43); Gethin Thomas (13:49)
Under 15 Girls: Megan Thomas (17:57)
Under 20 Women: Jessica Hyland (19:29)
Senior Men: Huw Davies (43:41)
Well done to all athletes who were in action during the 2022/2023 John H Collins Gwent Cross Country League season. Read the round-up is here.
British Athletics Cross Challenge Series, incorporating UK Inter Counties Cross Country Championships - Prestwold Hall, Loughborough (Saturday 11th March)
The final leg of the 2022/2023 British Athletics Cross Challenge took place at Prestwold Hall in Loughborough on Saturday 11th March, which also incorporated the UK Inter Countries Cross Country Championships.
This year's Cross Challenge Series had already visited Cardiff, Milton Keynes, Liverpool and Perth.
Iwan Thomas finished in third position overall in the 2022/2023 under 17 men's British Athletics Cross Challenge Series for a second successive season!
Nine Carmarthen Harriers athletes in the under 13, under 15 and under 17 age groups made the long journey to Leicestershire to represent the West Wales Region:
Under 13 Girls: Lowri Morgan (16:01); Esme Lynock (16:39)
Under 15 Girls: Amelia Williams (17:48)
Under 15 Boys: Joshua Barnett (16:43)
Under 17 Men: Iwan Thomas (20:55); Finley Bruce (22:07); Ifan Bowen (22:13); Steffan Davies (23:00); Steffan Bridger (24:46)
Welsh Schools U13 & U15 Sportshall Athletics Final 2023 - Cwmbran Sports Centre (Sunday 12th March)
On Sunday 12th March, the Welsh Schools Sportshall Athletics Final, one of the largest grassroots school fixtures in Wales, was staged at Cwmbran Stadium Sports Centre. Full Welsh Schools event report
The 2023 edition saw pupils in the under 13 (year 7 and 8) and under 15 (year 9 and 10) age groups compete, as it returned to the South East Wales-based facility for the first time in three years.
Dyfed Schools were one of five Welsh districts represented over thirty-six indoor sportshall events altogether.
Beatrice Morgan (Ysgol Bro Dinefwr) finished second individually (132 points), helping the Dyfed Schools under 15 girls to team bronze. The under 15 boys were silver medallists, with Aled Davies (Ysgol Dyffryn Aman) winning the individual competition.
Morgan's Results: (2 Lap - 26.4) (Shot - 9.13m) (Standing Long Jump - 2.11m) & (4 x 2 lap relay)
University of Birmingham Winter Throws Meet - University of Birmingham (Saturday 18th March)
It was the University of Birmingham Winter Throws and Distance Meet on Saturday 18th March.
In the discus, Storm Evans was in action for the first time this track season and threw a best of 42.47m in the fifth round of pool A, which was the second furthest of the competition.
This was confirmed as a new Under 20 women discus club record, which previously stood for 11 years!
Emory Spring Break Classic - Atlanta (Saturday 18th March)
Morgan Batten started the outdoor track and field season in America at the Emory Spring Break Classic.
In the javelin, Batten (Mount Mercy University) threw out to 48.97m.
SIAB Schools Cross Country International 2023 - Sefton Park, Liverpool (Saturday 25th March)
Seven Carmarthen Harriers athletes were among a team of forty youngsters selected to represent Welsh Schools at the final cross country event of the season on Saturday 25th March.
The annual SIAB Schools Athletic Board Cross Country International was hosted by English Schools at Sefton Park in Liverpool.
Welsh Schools, English Schools, Irish Schools and Scottish Schools battled it out across six events. They featured long races for both genders and the return of the popular 4 x 1500m mixed relays in the junior and inter categories.
Pembrey Country Park in Carmarthenshire was the venue for this end-of-season International fixture when it was last held by Welsh Schools on the same weekend 12 months ago.
Welsh Schools pupils wearing the red vest of Wales in Liverpool were selected to run following top finishes at the Welsh Schools Cross Country Championships in Brecon last month, as well as showing good form in other fixtures during the winter months.
It was a fantastic opportunity for under 15 and under 17 future stars to test themselves against the best cross-country runners in the United Kingdom.
Congratulations to Iwan, Finley, Ifan, Jake, Sam, William and Amelia who travelled with the squad over the weekend. Four of the runners were involved for a second consecutive season after competing on home turf last year, whilst for the other three, this was a chance to experience the international fixture for the first time.
Iwan Thomas was named as the Welsh Schools' boys team captain and produced the highlight of the day, finishing in the runner-up spot individually in the inter boys age group, in a race which featured four Dyfed schools athletes.
Carmarthen Harriers Results, representing Welsh Schools Athletic Association were:
Inter Boys: Iwan Thomas - Ysgol Glan-Y-Mor (18:16)
Inter Boys: Finley Bruce - Ysgol Bro Preseli (19:33)
Inter Boys: Ifan Bowen - Ysgol Bro Myrddin (20:13)
Inter Boys 4 x 1500m Relay: Jake Lynock - Ysgol Bro Dinefwr (4:56)
Junior Boys: Sam Griffiths - Ysgol Bro Myrddin (13:20)
Junior Boys: William Coles - Ysgol Bro Dinefwr (13:35)
Junior Girls 4 x 1500m Relay: Amelia Williams - Ysgol Bro Teifi (5:30)
Brecon Carreg Cardiff Bay 10K & Junior Fun Run 2023 - Cardiff Bay (Sunday 26th March)
Cardiff Bay played host to this year's Brecon Carreg 10K & Junior Fun Run on Sunday 26th March. The day began early morning with a 2K fun run, a Future Challengers race and a toddler dash before 6,000 10K runners set off around the route, taking in all of Cardiff Bay’s most iconic landmark.
Carmarthen Harriers Results were:
Junior 2K Fun Run: Paige-lily Williams (9:08 - 3th female)
10K: Dafydd Jones (30:22 - 4th open male)
10K: Steffan Bridger (36:25 - 67th open male)
