Newyddion
Weekend Round-Up (8-9 March 2025)
10/03/2025 00:00, I Mewn Blog /
ENGLAND ATHLETICS UNDER-15/UNDER 17 INDOOR COMBINED EVENTS AND JUNIOR PARA CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025 – MARCH 8 AND 9
A number of Welsh athletes were among the competitors in Sheffield, led by Tiana Odugbesan (Cardiff Archers), who came within just four points of a medal in the Under-17 women’s pentathlon.
The Welsh Athletics National Development Programme athlete made the perfect start winning the first event – the 60m hurdles in 9.01.
Odugbesan kept herself in contention with a win and a new personal best of 11.76m in the shot put and a season’s best 5.30m in the long jump.
However, a season’s best 2:37.01 in the 800m wasn’t quite enough to get her amongst the medals as she ended the competition on a total of 3,370.
Tabitha Ventress-Brett (Swansea Harriers) was 19th with 2,674 and Isabelle Watkinson (New Marske Harriers Club) was 27th with 2,125.
The Under-17 men’s heptathlon saw Cobie Phillips (Cardiff Archers) the highest placed finisher in 15th with a total of 3846, while Macsen Martins-Hughes (Cardiff Archers) was 25th with 3038 points.
On Sunday, Sophie Piddington (Newport Harriers) placed 6th in the under-15 girls pentathlon with 2,722 points. Lily Parsons (Cardiff Athletics) was eighth with 2,655 points and Imogen Louise Vecchi (Cardiff Archers) was 13th with 2518.
CAU INTER COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS (INCLUDING BRITISH ATHLETICS CROSS CHALLENGE) – WOLLATON PARK, MARCH 8
Osian Parry (North Wales) enjoyed an excellent 5th place in the under-15 boys race where he clocked 13:52. The result meant he finished second overall in the Cross Challenge Series.
There was a sixth place finish for Oliver Cobbold (West Wales) as he clocked 11:08 and National Development Programme athlete Heather Watson (North Wales) was 11th in the under-15 girls race in 15:27.
Lauren Cooper (East Wales) finished 16th in the senior women’s race, clocking 29.43, while Iwan Thomas (West Wales) finished 22nd in the under-20 men’s race in 26:37.
The under-17 women’s race saw NDP athletes Sioned John (West Wales) finish 20th in 19:46 and Maddie Hughes (North Wales) 22nd in 19:48.
COLWYN BAY 5 MILER, 10 MILER AND 20 MILER – MARCH 9
Starting on the promenade in Colwyn Bay, the races head east along the north Wales coastline towards Rhyl before turning back to finish in Colwyn Bay.
Winner of the men’s five mile race was Tomos Roberts (Meirionnydd Running Club) in 26:04, ahead of Jack Webb (Rotherham) in 27:24 and Alex Cowin (Penny Lane Striders) in 28:13.
The women’s race was won by Charlene Jacobs-Conradie (Meirionnydd Running Club), who finished ninth overall in 31:05. Second was Alannah Birtwhistle (Macclesfield Harriers) in 37:08, ahead of Stephanie Humphries (Widnes Running Club) in 38:10.
The men’s 10 mile race went to David White (Buckley Runners) in 55:19 with Steffan Sayer (Menai Track and Field) second in 56:39 and Dave Bus Hughes (Penmaenmawr) third with 58:33.
The women’s race winner was Elliw Haf Roberts (Eryri Harriers), who also finished ninth overall in 1:04.46. Second was Lizzie Slater (South Cheshire Harriers) in 1:09.11 ahead of Ruth Jones (Helpston Harriers) in 1:10.50.
The 20 mile race was won by Gareth Chaloner (Wrexham AAC), while the first female finisher was Diane Mason (Nantwich Running Club).
EUROPEAN INDOOR ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS – APELDOORN, MARCH 6-9
Jeremiah Azu (Cardiff Athletics) and Melissa Courtney-Bryant (Poole AC) claimed gold and silver medals at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in the Netherlands.
Azu equalled the Welsh record as he became European 60m champion with a brilliant run in the final on Saturday night, while Courtney-Bryant was pipped on the line as she tried to claim 3,000m gold the following afternoon.
The third Welsh athlete on the Great Britain team in Apeldoorn, Justin Davies (Team Bath) put in a creditable performance as he made the semi-finals of the men’s 800m.
But it was Azu who dominated the headlines as he won GB’s only gold medal of the championships with a spectacular win over 60m to become the first Brit to win the title since Richard Kilty in 2017.
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