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2023 SIAB Track & Field International Preview
14/07/2023 00:00, In Blog / Track & Field / School News /
On Saturday, Scottish Schools will host the 2023 SIAB Track & Field International in Grangemouth, which will see 70 Welsh athletes compete against the top athletes from Scottish, Irish, and English Schools.
Last year’s edition was a huge success for Welsh Schools, returning from Belfast with a tally of 13 medals, the best overall medal tally achieved since 2018. Along with medal success, Welsh records were also broken.
Leading the Welsh team this year are team captains Cara Scott (Ysgol Botwnnog) and Osian Parry (Radyr Comprehensive School). Scott is an experienced SIAB athlete in both Cross Country and Track & Field, having taken victory in the 1500m S/C at the Welsh Schools National Track and Field Championships, she will be looking to continue a great start to her season. Whilst Parry, also an experienced SIAB athlete, will have a busy day of competition competing in the 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, and the 4x400m relay.
The team selection includes Joseph Berry (Caerleon Comprehensive School) and Lewis Stephens (Brynteg School) who have also been selected to represent Team Wales at the Commonwealth Youth Games later this summer in Trinidad and Tobago.
A number of Welsh record-holders will also be in action in Scotland. Olivia Scrimshaw (Brynhyfryd School) the U15 girls triple jump Welsh Record holder will take on the triple jump, long jump, and 4x100m relay. Libby Hale (Bishopton Comprehensive School) who recently extended her Welsh Record over 1500m at the Welsh Senior & U15 Championships will be taking to the track, and Nell Desir (Radyr Comprehensive School) will contest both the 100m and the 4x100m relay.
Also representing Wales is Evie Cooper (Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Ystalyfera) in both shot put and hammer throw. Cooper recently broke the Championship Best Performance in the under 15 girls hammer throw at the recent Welsh Senior & U15 Championships, in which she picked up two Welsh titles.
Competing in the long jump is Benjamin Parker (Aberdare Community School), who jumped exactly 7m when representing Wales at the Loughborough International in May. Also competing in the long jump is Luca Phillips (Cowbridge Comprehensive), Phillips jumped a wind-assisted 7.01m at the Welsh Schools National Track & Field Championships earlier this month. He will also be in action in the triple jump.
A number of athletes that represented Wales earlier this year at the SIAB Cross Country International will also take to the track. This includes Cross Country Team Captains Beca Bown (Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern) and Iwan Thomas (Ysgol Glan y Mor). Millie Gold (St Illtyds Catholic School) and Finley Bruce (Ysgol Bro Preseli) will take on the 3000m, whilst Abigail Doherty (Fflint High School) will compete over 1500m.