The month of December welcomed back popular festive events in 2022, followed by the start of the early 2023 January competitions held indoors and on the road in Carmarthenshire and further afield.
Below are the festive and new year results from events held between December 18th and January 8th at Cardiff, Llandeilo, Llandysul and Sheffield.
Da iawn pawb wnaeth cystadlu / Well done to everyone that competed.
Cardiff Met Indoor Christmas Classic Grand Prix - National Indoor Athletics Centre, Cardiff (Sunday 18th December)
Before the Christmas period, Sunday 18th December, Cardiff Metropolitan University held its first of two grand prix events at National Indoor Athletics Centre, Cardiff. The annual Christmas Classic was back in the calendar in the week before the big day.
Iwan Thomas and Jessica Hyland entered the 3000m endurance discipline, with Thomas running a new personal best of 8:42.68 in the second heat and Hyland clocking a time of 10:25.88 over the fifteen-laps, a lifetime best by 30 seconds.
New Year's Eve 10 Miler & 10K & Llandysul New Year's Eve 5K Run- Llandeilo / Llandysul (Saturday 31st December)
On New Year's Eve, Saturday 31st December, two annual events returned to West Wales with the New Year's Eve 10 Miler & 10K at Tregib Sport Facilities, Llandeilo and the Llandysul New Year's Eve 5K & 10K Charity run.
At Llandeilo, Jake Lynock was the overall winner of the 10K (36:27). The third female home in the same race was Esme Lynock (47:43) with Gill Edwards finishing in 55:53.
In the North of the county at Llandysul, there was another good run from Amelia Williams, who was the first home in the 5K distance 18:50.
Welsh Athletics U13, U15 & U17 Junior Indoor Open incorporating West Wales 800m & 1500m regional championships - Day 2 - National Indoor Athletics Centre, Cardiff (Sunday 8th January)
At the beginning of a new year, the 2023 Indoor Athletics opener in Wales saw Day 2 of the Welsh Athletics Junior Indoor Open (Under 13, Under 15 and Under 17 age groups) take place at the National Indoor Athletics Centre, Cardiff on Sunday 8th January.
60m, 60m Hurdles, 800m, 1500m, Long Jump, Pole Vault and Shot Put events took centre stage at Cyncoed Campus.
Following the same format as in previous years, the Welsh Athletics Junior Indoor Open fixtures in 2022/2023 incorporates the West Wales*, South Wales, East Wales and South West England Regional Championships (*800m, 1500m for West Wales only, as all other events will be included in the region's indoor championships on 'home turf' at Swansea on the weekend of 18th-19th February).
The fourteen Carmarthen Harriers members competing returned home from Cardiff with eight West Wales Championships medals - 3 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze.
Club Results on Sunday were as follows:
Carter Norris: 60m (7.73)
Cian Murphy: 60m (9.22)
Evan Enoch: 60m (9.24)
Macsen Toogood: 800m (2:16.10) West Wales Bronze
Tomos Cai Davies: 800m (2:34.30) West Wales Silver
Finley Bruce: 1500m (4:21.37) West Wales Gold
Jake Lynock: 200m (4:30.19) West Wales Silver
Toby Anthony: 1500m (5:19.79) West Wales Silver
Mia Lloyd: 60m (16.36)
Esme Lynock: 800m (2:38.50) West Wales Gold
Paige-lily Williams: 800m (3:06.68) West Wales Gold & Shot (4.33m)
Amelia Williams: 1500m (5:03.33) West Wales Silver
Chloe Thomas: Shot (8.02m)
Cerys Angharad Jones: Pole Vault (2.25m)
England Athletics U20 & Senior Combined Events Championships 2023 & British Milers Club Grand Prix - English Institute of Sport, Sheffield (Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th January)
Six weeks after her success at the SIAB Schools Indoor Combined Events International at Glasgow, Jessica Lee made the trip to North West of England to compete in the England Athletics U20 & U23 Indoor Combined Events Championships 2023.
The 60m Hurdles, Shot Put, High Jump, Long Jump and 800m, which made up the pentathlon, was staged on Saturday 7th January. Lee was competing in the combined events for the first time in the new under 20 age group and enjoyed a great day in Sheffield, coming in 5th position overall.
Results: 60m Hurdles (9.59); 800m (2:38.65); Long Jump (5.91m); High Jump (1.66m); Shot (8.98m)
On Sunday 8th January at the same venue, the 3000m seeded races saw Iwan Thomas clocking a time of 8:44.55 at the British Milers Club Sheffield Indoor Grand Prix, which was incorporated into the above championships. This result confirms a Welsh Indoor U17 Best Performance (subject to ratification).
Photo: England Athletics