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Weekend Round-Up (18-21 July)
22/07/2024 00:00, In Blog /
EUROPEAN UNDER-18 CHAMPIONSHIPS – SLOVAKIA, JULY 18-21
Six Welsh athletes were part of the Great Britain team which travelled to Slovakia for the European Under-18 Championships.
Aron Tugwell (Cardiff Archers) and Harry Bradley (Newport Harriers) came agonisingly close to claiming a medal in the sprint medley relay on the final day of competition.
The Welsh duo helped the GB team to a new national record of 1:52.38 with Tugwell running the 200m leg and Bradley taking the baton for the final 400m leg.
But they were pipped to the bronze medal by the Italian quartet, who crossed the line in 1:52.02. Poland won gold in a championship best of 1:51.62.
Bradley was also part of the GB quartet which booked their place in the final by winning their heat in 1:54.12.
There was heartbreak for Nell Desir (Cardiff Archers) in the women’s 100m final on Friday evening.
Having recorded two new personal bests in qualifying, Desir was disqualified from the final for a false start.
The recently crowned Welsh Senior 100m champion had qualified for the final in style, winning her first round heat in a new PB of 11.67 and then repeating the feat finishing second in her semi-final, clocking 11.65.
The Cardiff Archer bounced back with a strong first 100m leg to help her Women's Sprint Medley Relay Team to Bronze medals behind Italy and Poland.
Lewie Jones (Swansea Harriers) qualified for the men’s javelin final thanks to a throw of 63.58m on his third attempt, ensuring he finished fourth in his qualifying group.
In the final, Jones finished a highly creditable eighth position, thanks to his first throw of the evening which went out to 63.52m
In the individual 200m, Tugwell ran a new PB of 21.41 as he finished third in his first-round heat to qualify automatically for the semi-final.
Running in the third semi final of three, Tugwell narrowly missed out on progressing to the final when he finished fourth in 21.59 just outside of claiming one of the fastest finishers spots.
Earlier in the competition, Owen Garrett (Yate) narrowly missed out on qualifying for the men’s discus final.
Garrett produced a best distance of 48.32m, which saw him finish 15th in qualifying with just 12 athletes going through to the final.
On Friday, Iwan Thomas (Carmarthen Harriers) finished 10th in heat two of qualification for the men’s 2,000m steeplechase. Unfortunately, his time of 6:01.57 wasn’t enough to progress to the final.
ENGLAND ATHLETICS U20/SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS AND SENIOR PARA CHAMPIONSHIPS – BIRMINGHAM, JUNE 19-21
Throwers led the way at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham over the weekend where the Welsh contingent returned with a haul of gold medals and a new world record.
Sunday was dripping with Welsh gold as Freya Jones (Newham and Essex Beagles AC) started the morning with a win in the women’s javelin final, producing a best throw of 48.46m to put clear daylight between her and second placed Sarah-Anne De Kremer with 46.64m.
James Tomlinson (Birchfield Harriers) was next to strike gold in the men’s discus where he recorded a best throw of 57.23m, which put him comfortably clear of Chukwuemeka Osammor with 55.93m.
The women’s shot put final saw Adele Nicoll (Birchfield Harriers) dominate the competition with a best of 17.11m, which distanced herself from Cleo Agyepong in second place with 15.20m.
The highlight of the day from a Welsh perspective came in the para ambulant women shot put final where there was a clean sweep of the medals and a new world record.
Sabrina Fortune (Deeside AAC), who has been enjoying an outstanding season, improved her own world record of 14.73m, which she set winning F20 shot put gold at the World Para Athletics Championships in Japan in May.
On Sunday, Fortune launched the shot out to 14.83m, to take gold with 1029 RAZA points ahead of F63 athlete Julie Rogers (DSW Para Athletics) with a new PB of 8.73m and 826 RAZA points.
Funmi Oduwaiye (F44) (DSW Para Academy) completed the all-Welsh podium with 11.39m and 814 RAZA points.
Oduwaiye would go on to win the para ambulant discus with a best of 33.64m, putting her well clear of Rachel Leck (F38) with 29.81m.
Kieran Jones (DSW Para Athletics) claimed gold in the under-23 seated shot and silver in the senior seated shot with a best distance of 8.31m.
Not to be outdone by the throwers, Nyree Perry (Bristol and West AC) won gold in the under-20 women’s pole vault with a season’s best 3.47m.
While Tess McHugh (Sale Harriers) also made it to the top of the podium by winning the women’s under-23 400m in 53.54.
More gold arrived in the shape of Tom Wilcock’s (Northampton AC) emphatic win in the under-23 110m hurdles in 13.83 ahead of Ruben Hedman with 14.31.
Michael Jenkins (Pembrokeshire Harriers) narrowly missed out on gold in the Under-23 discus. Jenkins’ best distance of 50.81m saw him finish just 11 centimetres behind Dillon Claydon.
In the para ambulant men’s discus, Harrison Walsh (DSW Para Athletics) claimed silver with a throw of 52.41m.
There was also a silver medal for Abdul Afolabi (Cardiff Archers) in the under-20 triple jump final as he jumped to a new PB of 14.33m.
Jessica Lee (Carmarthen Harriers) also celebrated silver in the under-20 long jump final where she leaped to a season’s best 6.01m.
There was further Welsh silver in the under-20 women’s hammer where Amelia Fettis (Newport Harriers) was second with a best of 52.41m.
In the under-20 shot put final, Eden Robinson (Millfield School) claimed bronze with a new personal best of 13.15m, while Sam Davies (Swansea Harriers) earned bronze in the under-20 men’s high jump with a best height of 2:01m.
There was another bronze for Sian Harry in the women’s 400m, who clocked 54.10, while Gareth Winter (Gloucester AC) also won bronze with a season’s best 15.72m in the men’s shot put.
As well as the above medal winners there were a number of other notable performances by Welsh athletes throughout the weekend.
WANDA DIAMOND LEAGUE – LONDON, JULY 20
Paris-bound Jeremiah Azu (Cardiff Athletics) warmed up for the Olympics with runs in the 4x100 and the individual 100m at a packed London Stadium.
The relay, saw Azu fly out of the blocks to give the Great Britain 1 team a blisteringly fast first leg, putting them well in contention at the front of the race as he handed over to new British 100m Champion Louis Hinchliffe, who successfully passed on to Patrick Kilty.
But the final handover to Reece Prescod was mis-timed and the team was disqualified as Japan won ahead of Australia and the Great Britain 2 team.
In the individual race, featuring the likes of USA superstar Noah Lyles, South Africa’s Akani Simbine and British record holder Zharnel Hughes, Azu once again enjoyed a fast start.
The Welshman eventually finished seventh in 10.08 with Lyles claiming the win in 9.83 ahead of Simbine.
Joe Brier (Swansea Harriers) ran a big season’s best in the 400m – going under 46 seconds for the first time this season.
The Tokyo Olympian, who missed out on selection for this year’s games in Paris, was in contention coming of the last bend in the race comprising of Britain’s best one lap racers.
But in what was a fast race, won by Sam Reardon in 44.70, Brier started to tie up slightly in the final stages and eventually finished fifth in 45.83.
The women’s 400m saw Hannah Brier (Swansea Harriers) line up against a top domestic field where she finished seventh in 52.94.
RABBIT RUN 2024 – JULY 20
The stunning 12K trail race was hosted on the Merthyr Mawr estate on Saturday afternoon.
Almost 1,000 runners completed the race which takes in stunning trails, hills, valleys, a river crossing, and the chance to experience a tumble down the Big Dipper, the highest sand dune in Wales.
There was a clear winner in men’s race with Jacob Tasker (Ogmore Phoenix Runners), clocking 44:51, ahead of Adam Whittaker (CDF Runners) in 48:11 and Geraint Williams (Swansea Harriers) in 49.12.
The first female athlete home was Antoinette Rose (Lliswerry Runners), who stopped the clock in 55:23. Next home was Jane Faram (Southville RC Bristol) in 56:38 and Nynke Kuiper (CDF Runners) in 56:45.
CASTELL HOWELL INTERNATIONAL RAS YR WYDDFA 2024 - JULY 20
Mountain runners from all over the UK and across Europe descended on Llanberis for the event which can trace its history back to 1976.
Now in its 49th year the Snowdon International is considered one of the greatest in the world of mountain running.
There were some good performances from Welsh athletes in Saturday’s race which was run in wet but warm conditions.
Tom Wood (Eryri Harriers) led the Welsh team home finishing eighth overall in a time of 1:10.58, followed by 17th placed Sion Rhys Jones (Rhedwyr Hebog Runners) in 1:13.48.
Nineteenth placed Gareth Hughes (Eryri Harriers) who clocked 1:15.12, was very closely followed by Gavin Roberts 1:15.13.
Lucy Williamson (Mynydd Du) was the 13th female to finish in 1:29.24 and was followed home by 15th placed Elliw Haf Roberts (Eryri Harriers) in 1:32.18, 17th placed Joanne Henderson (Denbigh) in 1:33.29 and 18th placed Bethan Logan (Mynydd Du) in 1:33.45.
The overall race was emphatically won by England’s current uphill European champion Joe Seward in a very good time, considering the conditions, of 1:05.41.
Scotland’s Niami Laing took the women’s title, finishing 22nd overall in a time of 1:26.39.
A special mention to Eden O’Dea (Deeside AAC) who was the 8th overall female and first “Open” female in a time of 1:26.39.
There were 466 finishers in the iconic race which next year celebrates its 50th anniversary.
HELENA TIPPING WREXHAM 10K 2024 - JULY 21
Run over a new course on its 33rd edition, the Helena Tipping Wrexham 10K 2024 attracted almost 700 entries and a strong elite field. The event also hosted the third fixture in the 2024 Welsh 10k Series.
And there was a Welsh winner to the women’s race as Anna Bracegirdle (Salford Harrriers and AC) added to her success at the Chester 10K by crossing the line in 33.34 ahead of Sonia Samuels (Sale Harriers Manchester) in 33:47 and Carla Davies (Preston Harriers) in 36:00.
The men’s race was won by Olympian Marc Scott, who crossed the line in 28:27, ahead of Omar Ahmed in 28:39 and Kadar Omar in 28:58.
The first Welshman home was double Commonwealth Games athlete Dewi Griffiths (Swansea Harriers), who was fourth in 29:02, ahead of World Championship marathoner Josh Griffiths (Swansea Harriers) in fifth clocking 29:47.
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