News

29/04/2024 00:00, In Blog /

MID CHESHIRE 5K – APRIL 26

Emily Kearney (Warriors Pentathlon and Athletic Club) earned an excellent second place finish at the Mid Cheshire 5K on Friday evening. Kearney clocked 15:44 finishing behind Jess Bailey, who claimed the win in 15:39.

There was also a strong performance in the men’s race from Welsh Commonwealth Games Youth athlete Joseph Rees Gara (Wigan and District) who finished sixth in 14:40 in a race won by Jonny Mellor in 14:18

Results

COMEBACK 5000 – MILLENNIUM ARENA BATTERSEA PARK, APRIL 26

In the Elite Women’s 5,000m, Jenny Nesbitt (Pontypridd Roadents) produced a solid run to finish third in a tactical race contested by a quality field.

The Welsh Commonwealth Games athlete clocked 15:45.69 behind Georgia Bell (Belgrave Harriers) who won the race in 15:35.24.

Results

COVENTRY SPRING MEETING – APRIL 27 AND 28

Michael Jenkins (Pembrokeshire) set a new F38 discus world record – subject to ratification – on day two of the Coventry Spring Meeting.

Jenkins – who won world para silver in the F38 shot put last year – was in superb early season form as he launched the discus out to a lifetime best of 57.14m.

If ratified, the distance is a new world record in the classification, improving Javad Hardani’s mark which previously stood at 52.91m.

European and Commonwealth medallist Harrison Walsh (Swansea), who like Jenkins is coached by Ryan Spencer-Jones, began his 2024 campaign with a solid 53.76m in his discus series.

The mixed seated discus competition saw a close battle between William Sheehan (Josh Clark, DSW Para Academy) [F34] and Benjamin Stringer (Warrington) [F57].

There was just 6cm separating them at the close of the six throws; with Sheehan’s best 20.67m and Stringer’s 20.61m.

The first day of the meeting saw double world champion Sabrina Fortune (Ryan Spencer-Jones, Deeside) [F20] fine-tuning her preparations for her world title defence with a 13.78m in the women’s ambulant shot put.

Jenkins had given a glimpse of what was to come the following day when he was narrowly shy of his season best as he opened his outdoor season in the shot put with a winning throw of 16.69m in the men’s ambulant event on Saturday.

Also on day one, the men’s ambulant 100m heat saw a second place finish for European medallist John Bridge (Darrell Maynard, Cardiff Athletics) [T47] in 12.26, with James Ledger (Matt Elias, DSW Para Academy) [T11] close behind in 12.37.

Ledger also competed in one of the two Great Britain and Northern Ireland quartets which went head to head in the 4x100m universal relay.

The Welshman ran the first leg for the GB and NI B team, which eventually finished victorious over the GB and NI A team when Sammi Kinghorn (T54) just edged out Hannah Cockroft (T34) on the anchor leg to win in a time of 48.25.

Results

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM TRACK AND FIELD SERIES 1 – APRIL 27

Reigning Welsh 110m hurdles champion Tom Wilcock (Northampton) opened his outdoor season in fine style in Birmingham. Wilcock won his race in 13.81 to comfortably clock the fastest time of the day.

Results

BRITISH MILERS CLUB (BMC) REGIONAL RACES – BIRMINGHAM, APRIL 27

National Development Programme athlete Jack Organ (Brecon) produced a brilliant finish to claim victory in Birmingham over 800m.

Organ timed his effort to perfection to clinch the win in the last few metres and clock a new personal best of 1:50.87.

Results

RED KITE CHALLENGE/SIALENS Y BARCUD COCH 2024 – DEVILS BRIDGE, APRIL 27

The annual Red Kite Challenge, which incorporates the Welsh Trail Running Championships, and the West Wales Trail Running Championships, once again attracted a large entry to Devil’s Bridge in Ceredigion.

This year’s under-18 race also acted as the trial for the WMRA International U18 Mountain Running Cup which will take place in the Montana Palencia Region of Spain on 22 June.

The Senior Half marathon men’s race was won by defending champion Jacob Tasker (Ogmore Phoenix Runners) who completed the challenging course in 1:26.36 ahead of Owain Jones (Bristol and West AC) in 1:30.58 and Matt Roberts (Calder Valley Fell Runners in 1:33.08.

In the women’s race, Katrina Entwistle (Bristol and West AC) followed up a her fine performance at last weekend’s European Off Road Championships trials by claiming the win in 1:42.37.

Entwistle was followed home by Lucy Williamson (Mynydd Du Mountain Runners) in 1:44.30 and Eden O’Dea (Deeside) in 1:48.40.

The men’s race in the metric half, which was run over 13.1 kilometres rather than 13.1 miles, was won by Aled Breeze (Maldwyn Harriers) in 59:16 ahead of Joshua Morgan (Swansea Harriers) in 1:02.12 and James Price in 1:04.22.

The women’s race was won by Emma Price (Aberystwyth University) in 1:07.34. In second place was Beth Saunders (Cardiff Athletics) in 1:15.21, while Louise Barker was third in 1:15.51.

Joe Murphy (Brecon AC) won the under-18 men’s race in 25:45 ahead of Iwan Froley (Cardiff Athletics) in 26:01 and Finley Bruce (Carmarthen Harriers) in 26:13.

Madison Hughes (Maldwyn Harriers) won the under-18 female race in 30:26. Beca Bown (Menai Track and Field) was second in 31:57 and Millie Pierce (Swansea Harriers) was third in 32:03.

Results

ABP NEWPORT MARATHON FESTIVAL 2024 – APRIL 28

More than 7,000 people of all ages and abilities took to the streets of Newport on Sunday morning to take part in the city’s festival of running.

As well as a full marathon, there were also a half marathon, 10k and junior race options for participants.

The 10K race was the first fixture in this year’s Welsh 10K series – which features five races staged at various locations across Wales.

The elite men’s marathon was won by Dan Nash (Pontypridd Roadents), who followed up his win at the Great Welsh Marathon in Llanelli earlier this year.

The defending champion crossed the line on Sunday morning in 2:23.25, well ahead of his nearest rival Rob Wood (Basingstoke AC) in 2:28.10 and Jack Jones, who was third in 2:28.32.

Nash, who celebrated with a sprint finish on the home straight, said afterwards: “I felt great for halfway but someone caught me and went past me so I thought I better up the pace and catch him.

“Luckily he fell away and I pushed on. It hurt a bit on the way back but it was a great course. The course is fast and flat and it was great to go past all the other runners who cheered me on the whole way.

“I live 20 minutes away so I had to come and defend my title before racing Belfast next week.”

The elite women’s marathon was won by Katherine Wood (Oxford) in 2:45.49, ahead of Sammy Antell (Bideford AC) in 2:46.57 and Nicola Curtis (OTCF) in 2:57.02.

There was another local winner in the women’s half marathon as last year’s marathon winner Lizzie Dimond (Liswerry Runners) returned to take the honours over the shorter distance.

Dimond, who has been suffering from a back injury, celebrated her return to fitness with the win and a new course record of 1:22.11.

Joanna Callan (Swansea Harriers) was second in 1:22.48 and Clare Patterson (Parc Bryn Bach) was third in 1:25.14.

“It’s been a really tough year for me with a back injury and this is my first race back,” said Dimond after the race. “I didn’t care what happened, I just wanted to get to the start line and I wasn’t thinking about the finish so to win is absolutely amazing.

“I couldn’t believe that ribbon came out for me, it was so special. It means even more for me living in the city so close to the route. I got amazing support from my club mates and people across the route.”

The men’s half marathon was won by Ronnie Richmond (Bideford AC) in 1:07.15 ahead of Simon Fox (Exeter Harriers) in 1:08.11 and Alex Carter (Team Bath AC) in 1:09.18.

The Welsh 10km Road Race Series – 2024 got underway with a win for Hannah Irwin (Cambridge and Coleridge) who crossed the line in a big new course record of 32:56, ahead of club-mate Holly Archer in 34:22 and Alaw Evans (Les Croupiers) in 34:23.

The men’s race was won by defending champion Omar Ahmed (Birchfield Harriers) in 29:20 ahead of club-mate Kadar Omar in 29:36. Dewi Griffiths (Swansea Harriers), who was returning from a hamstring injury, finished third in 29:50.

Results

Keep up-to-date with the latest news and updates on our social channels.