It's been a busy few weeks of competition for club junior and senior athletes in February ...From club and school representation in West Wales to Welsh Athletics / England Athletics championships, BUCS Indoors and International honour in Ireland.
The events in Wales and further afield across the UK have included the Armagh 5K, John H Collins Gwent Cross Country League, England Athletics Age Group Indoor Championships, Welsh Schools National Cross Country Championships, West Wales Indoor Regional Athletics Championships, Welsh Athletics Cross Country Championships and British Universities Indoor Championships.
Below are the Carmarthen Harriers club results from events held between February 9th and February 26th at Armagh (Ireland), Margam, Sheffield, Brecon and Swansea, along with news from the Actif Carmarthenshire Sports Awards.
Well done to everyone that competed. Da iawn pawb wnaeth cystadlu.
Armagh 5k Annual International Road Race - Armagh, Ireland (Thursday 9th February)
Welsh Athletics selected a team to travel to compete at the Armagh 5K International on Thursday evening 9th February.
One of the eight athletes in action was Dafydd Jones, who won another Welsh vest, in the men’s 5km and finished in a time of 14:42 in a high quality field.
John H Collins Gwent Cross Country League Fixture 4 - Margam Park, Port Talbot (Saturday 11th February)
Ten weeks after the club hosted the previous fixture at Pembrey before Christmas, the John H Collins Gwent Cross Country League resumed with the fourth and penultimate fixture of the season held at Margam Country Park in Port Talbot.
Carmarthen Harriers Results were as follows:
Novice Girls: Paige-lily Williams (8:11); Elliw Mai Jones (9:14)
Novice Boys: Tomos Cai Davies (6:19)
Under 13 Girls: Gwenan Fflur Jones (10:24); Mali Griffiths (10:30)
Under 20 Women: Jessica Hyland (14:16)
Senior Men: Huw Davies (40:41)
The 2022/2023 John H Collins Gwent Cross Country League season will conclude with the final fixture in Pontypool on Saturday 4th March.
England Athletics Age Group Indoor Championships 2023 - English Institute of Sport, Sheffield (Saturday 11th February)
It was another successful competition for Jessica Lee at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, this time in the England Athletics age group indoor championships.
Up in the North West of England, she secured a second-place finish in the under 20 women's long jump event with a best jump of 5.87m, and a silver medal as a result.
Welsh Schools National Cross Country Championships - Penlan Arena, Brecon (Wednesday 15th February)
The Welsh Schools National Cross Country Championships 2023, one of Welsh Schools Athletic Associations’ biggest competitions of the year, was staged for the 60th time in midweek at Penlan Arena in Brecon.
Sixty-five young runners from secondary schools and colleges across the Brianne, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Llanelli areas represented the Dyfed schools district in Mid Wales.
Dyfed schools’ highlights included team gold in the middle boys category, as a result of the first four individual places occupied by athletes from the West Wales district.
Several athletes are set to be selected to represent Welsh Schools at the SIAB Schools Cross Country International, which is being hosted by English Schools in a months’ time.
Teams from England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland will battle it out in the end-of-season fixture at Sefton Park in Liverpool. It will feature the return of the mixed 4 x 1500m relay event for both junior and middle categories.
Carmarthen Harriers athletes who represented Dyfed Schools were:
Year 7 Girls: Lowri Morgan (8:56)
Year 7 Boys: Gethin Thomas (8:33)
Junior Girls: Amelia Williams (11:53); Macy Blue (12:14); Nansi Griffiths (12:26); Anastasia Eggleston-Stoker (12:52); Esme Lynock (13:04); Scarlett Richards (13:34)
Junior Boys: William Coles (13:34); Sam Griffiths (13:45); Toby Anthony (14:42); Jimmy Davis (15:34)
Middle Girls: Eleanor White (15:28); Megan Thomas (16:40); Carys Wood (16:46); Erin Morgan (17:14); Frances Mackie
Middle Boys: Iwan Thomas (13:30); Finley Bruce (13:54); Ifan Bowen (14:11); Jake Lynock (15:03); Joshua Barnett (15:59)
Senior Boys: Steffan Bridger (17:35); Jack Bruce (19:49); Steffan Davies
West Wales Indoor Regional Athletics Championships 2023 - Swansea University Indoor Athletics Track (Saturday 18th February & Sunday 19th February)
For the first time in three years, the 2023 West Wales Indoor Athletics Championships returned to Swansea University Indoor Athletics Track over the weekend of Saturday 18th February (Field - Jumps) and Sunday 19th February (60m, 60m Hurdles & Shot) for all age groups from U11 to Seniors.
There were more than 150 athletes who competed in Swansea and among them were 12 club athletes. 13 regional medals were won - 5 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze. In addition, 14 new personal bests and 3 season bests were also picked up at this successful event which saw many athletes in the region make their competition debuts.
Carmarthen Harriers Results in full:
Lewis Evans - Senior men 60m (7.25) - silver
Ellie Loweth - Under 20 women 60m (8.43) - silver
Peter Staak - Under 17 men 60m (8.34)
Ellimay Williams - Under 17 women 60m final (7.99) - gold
Beatrice Morgan - Under 15 girls 60m final (7.95) - gold; long jump (4.91m) - gold & high jump (1.35m) - bronze
Anest Jones - Under 15 girls 60m final (8.54) - silver
Kristal Butler - Under 15 girls 60m (8.93) & long jump (3.65m)
Luned Defis - Under 17 women 60m (9.02); 60m hurdles (10.74); long jump (4.03m); triple jump (8.97m) - silver & high jump (1.40m) - bronze
Evan Enoch - Under 13 boys 60m final (8.95) - bronze
Paige-lily Williams - Under 13 girls 60m (9.93); long jump (2.99m); high jump (1.10m) - bronze & shot (4.42m)
Taliesin Thomas - Under 17 men high jump (1.70m) - gold
Elen Mai Williams - Under 20 women shot (7.29m) - gold
Welsh Athletics Cross Country Championships 2023 - Penlan Arena, Brecon (Saturday 25th February)
Penlan Arena in Brecon staged its second big event in ten days on Saturday 25th February, as the 118th Welsh Athletics Cross Country Championships returned in its usual February slot, on the same weekend as the other home countries fixtures.
Held previously at Singleton Park in Swansea and Pembrey Country Park near Llanelli, the championships moved to Powys in Mid Wales for the latest edition and saw a great turnout of 700 finishers.
There were eleven races on the timetable for the future primary school generation (U11) right up to the more experienced seniors and masters with individual Welsh titles and team medals up for grabs.
The 2023 highlights included...
- U20 Welsh Champion (Dafydd Jones) and three other individual medallists (Tomos Cai Davies, Nansi Griffiths and Iwan Thomas).
- Podium finishes for under 13 girls and under 17 men age groups.
- Some athletes experienced the Welsh Championship event for the first time.
Carmarthen Harriers Results were as follows:
Novice Girls: Megan Evans (6:31)
Novice Boys: Tomos Cai Davies (5:18); Jasper Davis (5:53)
Under 13 Girls: Nansi Griffiths (11:48); Esme Lynock (12:43); Lowri Morgan (12:44); Mali Griffiths (); Honey Davis (15:29)
Under 13 Boys: Toby Anthony (11:23); Gethin Thomas (12:08)
Under 15 Girls: Amelia Williams (15:27); Megan Thomas (17:17); Anastasia Eggleston-Stoker (18:00)
Under 15 Boys: Sam Griffiths (14:24); Joshua Barnett (14:38); Jimmy Davis (16:49)
Under 17 Women: Eleanor White (20:19); Carys Wood (22:06)
Under 17 Men: Iwan Thomas (16:08); Finley Bruce (16:55); Ifan Bowen (17:16); Steffan Bridger (17:56); Steffan Davies (18:13)
Under 20 Men: Dafydd Jones (20:28)
Senior Men: Huw Davies (43:33)
British Universities Indoor Athletics Championships 2023 - English Institute of Sport, Sheffield (Friday 24th February to Sunday 26th February)
Three weeks after the BUCS Cross Country Championships were held in Carmarthenshire, attention for university students moved to EIS, Sheffield and the BUCS Indoor Athletics Championships over three days.
Jessica Hyland (Swansea University) was the first in action on Saturday afternoon, clocking 10:35.25 in the women's 3000m distance event. Ellie Loweth (Edge Hill University) ran one of the 4 x 100m relay legs at the end of day 2 for the university team before competing over the 200m early on Sunday morning, running a time of 27.88.
Lili Church (Leeds Beckett) qualified for the women's high jump final in the latter stages of the final day of competition. She finished in seventh position with a best jump of 1.66m.
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Actif Carmarthenshire Sports Awards 2022 - The Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli (Thursday 16th February)
In other news...
Held for the 23rd time, the Actif Carmarthenshire Sports Awards took place at the Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli and organised by the Carmarthenshire County Council Sports and Leisure team.
The annual Actif Carmarthenshire Sports Awards recognised the sporting achievements and successes of individual athletes and sports clubs, as well as acknowledging the contribution made by dedicated coaches and hardworking volunteers who make a difference through sport and their communities.
Carmarthen Harriers involvement / shortlisted nominees this year…
- Frances Mackie - Inspiring Young Person Category
- Neil Thomas - Community Sports Coach Category
- Nathan Jones - Sports Volunteer Category
