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Weekend Round-Up (22-23 March 2025)
24/03/2025 00:00, In Blog /
WORLD INDOOR ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS - CHINA, MARCH 21
Jeremiah Azu completed a Grand Slam of Welsh, British, European and World indoor 60m titles in China on Friday afternoon.
All this has come in the three months since the Cardiff Athletics sprinter returned home to team-up with his former coach Helen James and her training group in the capital after two years based in Italy.
WELSH ROAD RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS – SENIOR AND MASTERS – PEMBREY, MARCH 22
Hundreds of runners from across Wales descended on Pembrey Country Park near Llanelli for the ever popular and highly competitive Welsh Road Relay Championships.
Swansea Harriers took the honours in both the senior men’s and senior women’s races.
In the senior men’s race, which consisted of four legs of 5,400m, Swansea Harriers A, crossed the line first, led home by Dewi Griffiths in a total time of 66:10. Griffiths also ran the fastest leg of the day in 15:53.
Second place went to Cardiff Athletics A, who completed the course in 70:36 with a quickest leg of 16:29. Neath Harriers A claimed third in 71:40 with a best of 17:43.
In the senior women’s race, held over the same distance, the winning time of Swansea Harriers A was 78:44 with a best of 19:17. Parc Bryn Bach A were second in 80:19 with a fastest leg of 18:59, while Les Croupiers A were third in 82:24. Their best leg was 19:47. Lauren Cooper (Parc Bryn Bach) was fastest overall with 18:59.
In the masters races, Swansea were also victorious in the men’s and women’s 35 categories.
Pontypridd Roadents A won the men’s 45 age group, while the honours in the women’s race went to Les Croupiers A.
Les Croupiers also won the men’s 55 category where Taf Running And Orienteering Team A won the women’s race.
In the 65 category, 3m Gorseinon Road Runners A won the men’s race, while Taf Running And Orienteering Team claimed the women’s event.
SIAB HOME COUNTRIES CROSS COUNTRY INTERNATIONAL – FALKIRK, MARCH 22
A large Welsh team headed to Scotland for the annual Home Countries International on Saturday.
Teams of eight boys and girls competed over the Junior and Middle age groupings incorporating pupils from Years 8 to 11.
And the Welsh contingent returned home with two bronze medals in the mixed relay junior and middle age groups.
Individually, Wales’ highest placed finishes saw Martha Bown (Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern) finish 18th in the junior girls race, while Nate Greig (Bryntirion Comprehensive School) was 13th in the junior boys.
The middle age group races saw Holly Humphries (Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr) claim a highly creditable eighth place, while Osian Parry (Ysgol David Hughes) placed 14th in the men’s race.
NANT YR ARIAN SILVER TRAIL HALF MARATHON AND 10K – MARCH 22
This year’s half marathon event also incorporated the Welsh short trail championships and the trial for the Welsh 26km team to compete at the Trail de Guerledan event in Spain.
Winner of the men’s half marathon was two-time World Athletics Championships marathoner Josh Griffiths (Swansea Harriers).
Griffiths was the clear winner over the picturesque mid-Wales course, crossing the line in 1:26.00 ahead of Ben Cole (Swindon Harriers) in 1:28.51 and Gwynant Jones (Western Tempo) in 1:29.01.
The win also brough Griffiths the Welsh title ahead of Jones and Tom Foster (Guildford and Godalming AC) claiming bronze.
There was an even more emphatic winner in the women’s race, where Eden O’Dea (Deeside AAC) was the first to break the tape in 1:40.34. Lucy Williamson (Mynydd Du) was second in 1:44.43, with Becky Atkinson (Sarn Helen) third in 1:50.11.
The win brought O’Dea Welsh Championship gold ahead of Williamson, while Ruth Calcraft (Run Free Fell Runners Llangollen) claimed bronze.
The 10k event saw Ben Gethin (Maldwyn Harriers) win the men’s race in 43:46, ahead of Benjamin Shaw in 49:14 and Ian Evans (Trots St Clears) in 51:28.
The women’s winner was Laura Guillaume in 53:15. Jane Williams (Cardigan Running Club) was second in 56:11 with Angharad Eburne third in 56:49.
PULFORD 10K – CHESHIRE, MARCH 23
The super-fast Pulford 10k took place on Sunday morning, with the event incorporating the trial for the Great Britain 10K team to compete at the European Road Running Championships.
Wales Commonwealth Games representative Jenny Nesbitt (Pontypridd Roadents) went into the race having already been selected for the half marathon team at the European Road Running Championships.
And she produced an excellent run to finish fourth in a new personal best of 32:19, which was also a 10K qualification standard.
Non-Welsh runner, Verity Ockenden (Swansea Harriers) was second in 31:32.
In the men’s race, Adam Barber (Harborough AC) was the first Welsh finisher as he came home in 18th place, clocking 30.09.
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