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60th Welsh Schools Cross Country Championships Preview
14/02/2023 00:00, In Blog / Cross Country / School News /
The 60th Welsh Schools Cross Country Championships will take place at Penlan Arena, Brecon on the 15th of February, with eight districts battling to come out on top.
As with previous years, the Championships will act as an opportunity for athletes to qualify for selection for the SIAB Cross Country Championships, in Sefton Park, Liverpool on the 25th of March. Read the selection policy here.
Over 100 pupils across eight school districts: Afan Nedd Tawe, Cardiff and the Vale, Dyfed, Eryri, Glamorgan Valleys, Northeast Wales, Powys and South-East Wales will be hoping to return home as Champions.
Athletes will also be battling it out in both the team and individual competitions. A number of athletes featuring in the races have recently picked up National titles at the Welsh Indoors Championships earlier this year.
The day will get underway with the Junior Girls and Boys races. In the Girls race reigning Junior Champion and recent Welsh Indoor U15 1500m Champion and Welsh Record holder Libby Hale (Bishopston - Afan Nedd Tawe) will compete against Welsh Indoor U15 3000m champion and record holder Bryony Boyce (Cathedral School - Cardiff and the Vale).
In the Junior Boys race Garyn Tough (Aberdare Community School - Glamorgan Valleys), recent winner of the Welsh U15 3000m indoor title, and Lucas Salvage (St Julians - South-East Wales) winner of the Welsh U15 1500m and 800m titles will be looking to push Joshua Saunders (Whitchurch High School - Cardiff and the Vale) the current reigning Champion.
In the year 7 races the athletes will get their first taste of Welsh Schools Championships. Previous winners of this age group include Ruby Herdman (Brecon High School – Powys) and Osian Perrin (Eryri). In both the races last year it was Cardiff and the Vale that claimed the team titles.
The Middle Girls will be an exciting race, with NDP athlete Beca Bown (Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern - Eryri), winner of the U17 Inter-Regional Cross Country, and Millie Gold (St Illtyd's - Cardiff and the Vale), winner of the U15 female race at the Milton Keynes British Athletics Cross Challenge, competing against one another.
In the Middle Boys race NDP athlete Iwan Thomas (Glan y Mor - Dyfed) who is currently 2nd in the British Athletics U17 Cross Challenge series and Finley Bruce (Preseli - Dyfed), currently 7th in the British Athletics U17 Cross Challenge series.
Current Welsh Indoors U20 1500m champion and Welsh representative in the Home Nations Cross Country, Gwenno Goode (Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg – Cardiff and the Vale). They will be facing the winner of the U17 race in the last GWENT Cross Country League Caitlin Jones (Cyfartha High School - Glamorgan Valleys)
Inter-regional U20 Cross Country Champion Deri McCluskey (Llanfyllin High School – Powys) will be returning. Just six seconds separated the two last year. Also looking to take the tile are NDP athletes Henry Evans (Monmouth Boys School - South East Wales) and Tristan Cumberland (Ysgol Canol Cymru - Powys).
Welsh Athletics and Welsh Schools Athletics Association would like to thank all the staff, volunteers and teachers for their efforts in putting on what promises to be an excellent afternoon of racing.
Our retail store will be open at the event, with t-shirts at £17.50 and hoodies at £30. We will be operating both a cash and card system.
The day gets underway at with the Junior Girls race at 13:00
For more information about the day, click here.