Newyddion

03/10/2020 00:00, I Mewn Blog / Road /

Four Welsh Athletes will contest the ‘40^th race’ as the Virgin Money London Marathon takes place in a unique format on Sunday.

Selected elite athletes will compete over 19 laps of St James’ Park in races led by World Record holders Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei.

This will ensure the safest possible environment for some of the best distance runners of all time to compete at the re-arranged race.

Charlie Hulson will be the fastest Welshman in action with a best of 2:14.24 ran on his debut in Valencia in December.

Hulson’s pedigree is clear as a multiple British International at Cross Country and a career high victory at the English Cross Country Championships in 2015. His highest profile victories on Welsh soil include a win at the British Athletics Cardiff Cross Challenge in 2018 and a Brecon Carreg Cardiff Bay Run title earlier that year.

Joshua Griffiths ran just one second slower than Hulson to record a time of 2:14.25 in London in 2019. The Carmarthenshire based athlete has the more recent mark of fitness with a 63:08 personal best at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in September.

Griffiths is another man who impressed on his marathon debut, with a British title at the 2017 Virgin London Marathon, sending him to notoriety and earning him a place at the IAAF World Championships in London where he finished 39^th, just behind compatriot Andrew Davies.

Dan Nash is the final Welshman in action on Sunday. His marathon best stands at 2:18.53. The Cardiff based athlete is the current British Record Holder for 50km, set when securing a bronze medal at the World Championships just over 12 months ago, showing that he certainly has the strength for running marathons.

Nash has gained a lot of press attention for his method of securing a place at the historic race by tweeting the London Marathon, asking to be included.

Natasha Cockram has become a marathon specialist over the last few years, since returning from an athletics scholarship at Tulsa. The Micky Morris Racing Team athlete lowered Susan Tooby’s Welsh record to 2:30.50 in Dublin last year finishing fifth.

Cockram has recently re-located from South Wales to Norfolk where training is said to be going well but will be hoping that a recent ankle injury is now in the past with an opportunity to chase qualifying times for major championships at stake in London.

Jenny Nesbitt will also be in action, acting as a pacemaker in the women’s race, hoping to help some of the top British athletes including Natasha to valuable qualifiying times.   

Race Timings;
07:15: Women - BBC Two, BBC Red Button
10:15: Men - BBC One, BBC Red Button
13:12: Wheelchair Races - BBC Two, BBC Red Button