For the first time in two years, Welsh Athletics Indoor Championships returned to the Welsh Capital over the past two weekends.
With fixtures cancelled during the 2021 winter season due to Covid restrictions, it was great for athletes, coaches, spectators and officials alike to see the welcome return of championship events in Wales ahead of an action-packed year for the sport of athletics.
The National Indoor Athletics Centre at Cardiff Met's Cyncoed Campus hosted the Welsh Athletics Senior & U15 Indoor Championships on 29th and 30th January followed by the Welsh Athletics U13, U17 & U20 Indoor Championships a week later on 5th and 6th February.
More than 600 club sprinters, endurance runners, jumpers and throwers from Wales and England participated with personal bests and championship best performances achieved.
Seventeen Carmarthen Harriers members along with their parents and coaches made the journey up the M4 motorway to compete against many of the top athletes in Wales and further afield throughout the four days.
Across both weekends, there were representatives in the 60m, 60m Hurdles, 200m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Pole Vault and Shot Put.
Jessica Lee's 5.67m result in the long jump was confirmed as a new championship best performance in the under 17 women category, a record which had stood for three years.
The total medal tally in this year's Welsh indoor championships was nineteen (4 gold, 8 silver and 7 bronze)
Well Done to everyone who competed, great effort / Da iawn i bawb wnaeth cystadlu, ymdrech arbennig!
WELSH ATHLETICS SENIOR & U15 INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 2022 RESULTS (29-30 January)
LEWIS EVANS: Senior Men 60m (7.43)
JESSICA LEE: Senior Women 60m Final (7.98) & Long Jump (5.58m)
ELLIE LOWETH: Senior Women 60m Final (8.23) & 200m (27.40)
ELLI MAY WILLIAMS: Under 15 Girls 60m Final (8.03) SILVER
BEATRICE MORGAN: Under 15 Girls 60m Final (8.21), 60m Hurdles Final (9.98), 200m Final (27.62) BRONZE & Long Jump (4.30m)
LUNED DEFIS: 60m Hurdles (11.42), Long Jump (3.90m) & High Jump (1.40m)
BEN THOMAS: Senior Men 1500m (3:52.39) BRONZE
BECA ROBERTS: Senior Women Triple Jump (11.25m) GOLD
CARTER NORRIS: Under 15 Boys 200m (25.84) BRONZE
AMELIA WILLIAMS: Under 15 Girls 3000m (11:44.41) SILVER
OSIAN ROBERTS: Senior Men High Jump (1.95m) SILVER
CERYS ANGHARAD JONES: Under 15 Girls Pole Vault (2.10m) SILVER
JAMES SLOYAN: Under 15 Boys Shot Put (9.88m) BRONZE
RESULTS/CANLYNIADAU: Welsh Athletics Senior & U15 Indoor Championships (NIAC, Cardiff)
WELSH ATHLETICS U13, U17 & U20 INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 2022 RESULTS (05-06 February)
JESSICA LEE: Under 17 Women 60m Final (7.80) SILVER; 200m Final (25.64) GOLD & Long Jump (5.67m) GOLD & CBP
ELLIE LOWETH: Under 20 Women 60m (8.24) & 200m (27.36)
ESME LYNOCK: Under 13 Girls 800m (2:47.58) BRONZE & 1500m (5:36.15) SILVER
TOBY ANTHONY: Under 13 Boys 800m (2:40.66) BRONZE
JAKE LYNOCK: Under 17 Men 1500m (4:29.25) BRONZE & 3000m (9:43.24) SILVER
CONNOR HANDFORD: Under 20 Men Pole Vault (3.02m) SILVER
BECA ROBERTS: Under 20 Women Triple Jump (11.49m) GOLD
RESULTS/CANLYNIADAU: Welsh Athletics U13, U17 & U20 Indoor Championships (NIAC, Cardiff)
OTHER RESULTS / CANLYNIADAU ERAILL
Elsewhere, Osian Roberts won his first Welsh senior vest at the Dynamic New Athletic Event (DNA Indoors 2022) created by European Athletics in Glasgow on Saturday 5th February.
Roberts, one of the youngest athletes involved, was selected to compete in the men's high jump and cleared a best of 1.90m in front of a big crowd and the cameras broadcasting the event. The Welsh team competed at the Emirates Arena against five other countries - England, Scotland, Ireland, Spain and Turkey. It featured eight track and three field events for men & women, up to 18 athletes in each team, focussing on team tactics and strategy over a 2-hour competition.
In London on Saturday 5th February, at the BUCS Cross Country Championships, Ellie Kiff (30:02), Ben Thomas (29:24) and Iestyn Williams (30:45) completed the Women's Short Race 6km and Men's Short Race 8km respectively.
At the World Athletics Indoor Tour Special Bronze, Lili Church cleared a height of 1.65m in the under 20 women's high jump in fourth.
