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Festive & New Year's Round-Up 2024
06/01/2025 00:00, In Blog /
HIGH VELOCITY II – BLACKTOWN, AUSTRALIA, DECEMBER 21
Multi-eventer Lauryn Davey (Swansea Harriers/Swansea University) ran a new 100m personal best in Australia just before Christmas.
Competing at the High Velocity II event, Davey clocked 12.69 to surpass her previous 100m best of 13.52, set back in 2019. In the 200m, Davey clocked 26.81.
MANCHESTER INDOOR OPEN MEETING – DECEMBER 22
A number of Welsh athletes competed at the Manchester Indoor Open Meeting before Christmas.
Amongst them was Welsh 400m champion Tess McHugh (Sale Harriers Manchester) who clocked a 300m PB of 38.03 as she won her heat.
There was also a PB over 600m for Ffion Mair Roberts (Menai Track and Field/Bangor University), who won her heat in 1:32.87.
Promising young multi-eventer Aiden Angilletta (Deeside AAC) sprinted to a new personal best of 8:48 to win his 60m hurdles under-17 heat.
Neil Davies (Wrexham AC/Welsh Masters) ran a V55 PB of 8.86 finishing fourth in his heat over 60m and a V55 PB of 44.27 in winning his 300m heat.
At the other end of the age spectrum, a number of under-15 athletes recorded PBs. Grace Clark (Deeside AC) ran a new PB of 47.57 as she won her 300m heat.
While another Deeside AC athlete Lucia Bartlett also ran a PB o 47.92 finishing second in her heat. A 600m PB came the way of a third Deeside athlete as Elliot Rowe won his heat in 1:36.10.
OLD FATHER TIME FIVE MILE RACE – DECEMBER 29
The Old Father Time 5 miles, organised by Les Croupiers Running Club, is a veterans-only event (athletes 35+), with a long history based on tradition, dating back to 1989.
It is a flat, fast two lap course centred on the west side of the River Taff. The weather recently has been extremely unpredictable, so it came as a very welcome surprise that the sun made a brief appearance around midday, and the winds stayed mercifully light.
Attendance at road races is enjoying great support of late, and many local events are selling out for the first time. Old Father Time enjoyed a record field of 275 finishers, almost double the number from two years ago. There was vociferous support from the sidelines, and some keen battles for honours.
The race up front was close for a while, with a rematch from last year between Luke Williams (Micky Morris Racing Team) and Oli Williams (Les Croupiers). Oli broke away towards the end of the first circuit, reached in 12:59 which was 8 seconds up on 2023.
Louise Flynn (Les Croupiers) was a clear leader of the ladies event in an unofficial 14:21.44 seconds ahead of her halfway split from last year, and indicative of how much she has improved. 2024 has been a momentous year for Louise, with a 6 minute improvement of 2:43:52 at the London Marathon, and a dominant win in the Eryri Marathon in October.
Oli Williams maintained his pace on the second half to come home a clear and impressive winner in 26:20, a 7 second improvement on last year. There was an epic battle for the minor places with Neale Denton (CDF) just edging out Aberystwyth's Owain Schiavone.
The leading ladies positions were unchanged on the second half, with Louise a decisive winner in a personal best 28:54, the fastest time since Frances Gill (Neath Harriers) set the event record of 28:40 in 1997. Kate Roberts (Swansea Harriers) was second throughout the second circuit, with Gabriella Maine (Porthcawl Runners) in third.
There were two of the older athletes involved in some record breaking of the very highest level. It has been an amazing year for Ifan Lloyd (Swansea Harriers). On 13 October he won the World M65 Marathon Championship in Bucharest on his birthday and his time of 2:49:19 eclipsed a British record which had stood for over 30 years.
In November he won the M65 section of the British and Irish Masters Cross Country in Belfast. On Boxing Day he set a new Welsh M65 record for 5 miles at Glynneath with 29:06, and came within a whisker of revising that with a 29:11 clocking here.
For his Swansea Harrier team mate, Alan Davies, it has, if anything, been even more momentous. Alan set two world M70 records on the roads this year - 18:08 at the Whitchurch 5 km in May, and 37:07 at the Swansea Bay 10 km in September. He might have made it a hat trick but for a six week injury lay off in the autumn. After a comeback lasting just three weeks, his 31:05 represented a new Welsh M70 best, demolishing the previous best mark by Pembrokeshire's John Gardener in 2013 by 2 minutes and 57 seconds.
Many athletes make this event an annual pilgrimage, sometimes involving large distances of travel. After a hard fought contest many returned to Llandaff Rugby Club for the presentations and catch up with their fellow competitors in more hospitable surroundings. It was a great way to end 2024.
GLYNNEATH BOXING DAY 5 MILER – DECEMBER 26
Dewi Griffiths (Swansea Harriers) ran off the Christmas turkey in fine style as he romped to comfortable victory in Glynneath on Boxing Day.
The Welsh Commonwealth Games athlete finished almost three minutes ahead of the field as he clocked a rapid winning time of 23:23.
Fellow Swansea Harrier Guy Smith claimed second place in 26:31, Ben Williams (Port Talbot Harriers) was third in 26:46.
The first female runner home was Elinor Mattey (Parc Bryn Bach) in 28:50, ahead of Ffion Williams (Port Talbot Harriers) in 30:12 and team-mate Claire Walters in 31:28.
PORTHCAWL BOXING DAY RUN – DECEMBER 26
The annual 6.5Km race started on the Eastern Promenade before heading towards the fairground and then up to Rest Bay.
The first runner to complete the course was Samuel Boyce (Cardiff Athletics), recording a winning time of 20:46. Rhys Hardman (Bridgend AC) was second in 20:59 with Osian Davies (Neath Harriers) third in 21:06.
The women’s race was won by Bryony Boyce (Cardiff Athletics), who triumphed in 22:15, ahead of Gabriella Booth (Porthcawl Runners) in 23:39 and Ffion Higginson (Bridgend Athletics) in 23:57.
NOS GALAN RACES – MOUNTAIN ASH, DECEMBER 31
The famous Nos Galan Races defied the wind and rain on New Year’s Eve to continue the traditional event held in memory of Welsh runner Guto Nyth Brân, which first started 1958.
In line with convention, a mystery runner was unveiled before the event – this year it was Olympic boxing gold medallist and WBA welterweight world champion Lauren Price.
The former Welsh international footballer and champion kickboxer was joined by support runner Ria Burrage-Male, the Commonwealth Games hockey international and former CEO of Welsh hockey.
On the roads of Mountain Ash, the elite men’s race was won by Ben Reynolds (Cardiff Athletics), who completed the 5k course around the town in 14:48.
Reynolds was followed home by Lloyd Sheppard in 15:01 and Adam Ede, who finished third in the same time as Sheppard.
The elite female race was won by former Welsh 3,000m steeplechase record holder Lauren Cooper (Western Tempo), who claimed victory in 17:35.
Megan Mitchell (Swansea Harriers) was second in 17:52 and Elinor Mattey (Parc Bryn Bach Running Club) third in 17:54.
PRINCE OF WALES 5K – KENFIG, JANUARY 1
A pair of former international middle distance runners took the top two places in this challenging multi-terrain race held on New Year’s Day.
Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 1500m competitor Rowan Axe (Cardiff Athletics) took the honours in 19:15, ahead of former Great Britain and Wales star James Thie (Pontypridd Roadents), who clocked 21:12. James Griffiths was third in 21:31.
Winner of the women’s race was Maria Kowal (Swansea Harriers), who completed the course in 25:43. Justine Dawkins, of the race organisers Cornelly Striders, was second in 27:56 with Annelise Loveluck third in 29:32.
NORTH WALES CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS – JANUARY 4
The North Wales Cross Country Championships, supported by Grand Prix Express, were held in Bangor on Saturday.
The senior women’s race, run over a 3.5 mile course, was won comfortably by Elizabeth Richardson (Eryri Harriers) in 26:40. Samia Jones (Liverpool Harriers) was second in 28:02, followed by Joanne Henderson (Denbigh Harriers) in 28:06.
The senior women’s team victory went to Eryri Harriers, ahead of Denbigh Harriers and Colwyn Bay AC.
The senior men’s race was won by under-20 athlete Noa Vaughan (Eryri Harriers), who clocked 28:30. Second and third places went to Meirionnyd RC athletes Rhodri Owen in 28:44 and Daniel Kashi in 28:48.
The team win went to Meirionnydd RC A, followed by the club’s B team. Eryri Harriers were third.
A full programme of races was held from Under-11s boys and girls, through to masters men and women.
WELSH ATHLETICS JUNIOR INDOOR OPEN DAY 2 – JANUARY 5
The Welsh Athletics Junior Indoor Open Day 2, incorporating the regional championships for south, east Wales and west Wales, along with the south west of England, took place at the National Indoor Athletics Centre in Cardiff.
Among the stand out performers on the day was promising multi-eventer Aidan Angilletta (Deeside AAC), who started his day by winning the Under-17 men 60m hurdles in 8.62. Angilletta went on to win the Under-17 long jump with a best leap of 6.07m.
The UK’s fastest under-15 sprinter last year, Aliyah Afolabi (Cardiff Archers) made a winning start to 2025 claiming victory in the Under-17 women’s 60m in a time of 7.65. Third place went to National Development Programme athlete Ava-Lexi Placide (Cardiff Athletics) in 7.84.
NDP athlete Luca Salvage (Newport Harriers) enjoyed a commanding victory in the Under-17 boys 1500m, where he clocked a winning time of 4:11.54. Osian Davies (Neath Harriers) was second in 4:22.84 with Cian Tough (Aberdare Valley AAC) third in 4:22.91.
Another NDP athlete Tiana Odugbesan (Cardiff Archers) won the Under-17 women’s 60m hurdles in 9.06, ahead of Ava-Lexi Placide in 9.19.
BE FIT TODAY TRACK ACADEMY INDOOR SERIES – LEE VALLEY, JANUARY 5.
A number of Welsh performance pathway athletes competed at the Be Fit Today Track Academy Indoor Series on Sunday.
National Development Programme athlete Iolo Grant (Cardiff Archers) equalled his 60m hurdles personal best of 7.90 as he won his heat at Lee Valley.
Fellow NDP athlete and Cardiff Archer, Menna Grant won her second round 60m hurdles heat in 8.75.
There was further success for Transition Programme athlete David Locke (Cardiff Athletics), who won his heat in 1:52.30.
NDP athlete Darcy Coslett (Llanelli AAC) continued the success she enjoyed in 2024 into the New Year when she won her 400m heat in 55.46.
The women’s 60m heats saw Issie Tustin claim victory in her race as she clocked 7.70, before going on to clock 7.68 finishing fourth in the second round.
NDP sprinter Lewis Stephens (Cardiff Athletics) ran a new 60m PB of 6.83 as he finished third in his heat.
Elsewhere in the 60m heats Aharon Graham-Mulvaney (Cardiff Athletics) claimed a second place in 7.25, ahead of third place club-mate Josh Stephens, who clocked 7.28.
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