News
61st Welsh Schools Cross Country Championships Preview
28/02/2024 00:00, In Blog /
The 61st edition of the Welsh Schools Cross Country Championships will return to Penlan Arena, Brecon on the 28th of February, with eight school districts battling it out in individual and team competitions.
The Championships will act as an opportunity for our Junior and Middle age group pupils to qualify for selection for the SIAB Cross Country Championships, in Santry, Dublin on the 23rd of March. Read the selection policy here. Competing for Wales (welshathletics.org)
Over 700 pupils from the eight school districts have been entered: Afan Nedd Tawe, Cardiff and the Vale, Dyfed, Eryri, Glamorgan Valleys, North East Wales, Powys, South East Wales will be hoping to take home a haul of individual and team titles.
The Championships will see several athletes who picked up Welsh titles at the recent Welsh Cross Country Championships look to try and secure another, along with several returning Champions from last year’s edition. However, with the school-age groups a year out of sync with the regular season club league and indoor athletics age groups, predicting who will be in the mix for podium finishes proves very difficult to get correct.
Wednesday's championships will get underway with the Junior Girls race, which will see reigning Schools Champion Bryony Boyce (Cardiff and the Vale) and newly crowned U13 Welsh Cross Country Champion Martha Bown (Eryri) go head-to-head once again. Leah Rhodes (South East Wales) is another who will be near the front of the race.
Race 2 in the Junior Boys race Lucas Howard-Machado & Finlay Burns (both Cardiff & the Vale), Tom Garrod (South East Wales) and Osian Parry (Eryri) have all had a successful season to date within their club age groups.
Race 3 In the Senior Girls race athletes to watch out for Eryri pair Cara Scott (Eryri) (former Welsh Schools Captains for track & field) and Beca Bown (Eryri) (former Welsh Schools Captain for Cross Country). Caitlin Jones (Glamorgan Valleys) and Sophie Hartley-Green (Afan Nedd Tawe) will be near the front of the field too.
Race 4 & 5 in the year 7 boys and girls the pupils get their first taste of Welsh Schools Championships. These races are notoriously difficult to predict. In the boys, Osian Phillips (Cardiff & the Vale) and Oliver Cobbold (Afan Nedd Tawe) may be in the mix for medals. In the girls, Manon Phillips (Dyfed), Isabella Peter (South East Wales) and Megan Adams (South East Wales) will be amongst the favourites.
Race 6 Senior boys Henry Evans (South East Wales) and Ifan Bowen (Dyfed) are two to look out for. Additionally, Welsh Senior Indoor 800m Champion Jack Organ (Powys) will be making a rare outing in the country.
Race 7 Looking to retain the Middle Girls title is Millie Gold (Cardiff and the Vale), the Cardiff and the Vale athlete was recently crowned as the U17 Girls Champion at the Welsh Championships just two weeks ago. There will be very strong competition in the race though. This includes the U15 Champion at the Welsh Cross Country Championships Libby Hale (Afan Nedd Tawe) and Welsh representative at the recent London Cross Challenge Abigail Doherty (North East Wales). Amelia Williams (Dyfed), Holly Humphreys (Afan Nedd Tawe), Maddie Hughes (Powys) and Sioned John (Cardiff and the Vale) are very strong contenders too.
Race 8 The Middle Boys race will conclude the 2024 Welsh Schools Cross Country Championships with Joshua Sanders (Cardiff & the Vale), Sam Griffiths (Dyfed), Samuel Boyce (Cardiff & the Vale), Thomas Loynes (Afan Nedd Tawe) and Miguel Jenkins (Eryri) who have all been running well and will be hoping for more success on Wednesday hoping to get into the SIAB team.
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.
The Welsh Athletics merchandise shop will be open. Athletes and spectators will be able to purchase a range of Joma branded items including t-shirts, sweatshirts, joggers, arm sleeves and winter beanies, with items starting from £5!
The day will get underway with the Junior Girls' race at 13:00 .
For more information about the day, click here. Welsh Schools National Cross Country Championships 2024 (welshathletics.org)