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Weekend Round-Up (24-26 August 2024)
27/08/2024 00:00, In Blog /
WORLD MASTERS ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS – GOTHENBERG, AUGUST 13-25
A number of Welsh athletes came away from Sweden with medals and outstanding individual performances representing Great Britain.
Among the Welsh medal winners was Ian Broadhurst (Wrexham/Welsh Masters) who claimed individual golds in the M70 300m, clocking a season’s best 47.99, and the M70 400m, where he stopped the clock in 64.14.
Broadhurst was also a part of the Great Britain M70 4x400m relay team which won a silver medal.
Mel James (Les Croupiers/Welsh Masters) was part of the M80 4x100m team which claimed gold in a British record breaking time.
Iris Holder (Worcester/Midland Masters) claimed gold in the W80 triple jump with her best distance in two years.
Joanne Willoughby (Gloucester/Midland Masters/Bristol & West) won silver medals in both the W60 long jump with 4.46m and triple jump with 9.91m.
Eleri Jones (Newport Harriers) ran the first leg in the W40 4x100 for GB, helping the team to a silver medal and a new British record.
Newport Harriers duo Louise Kirby and Juliet Sidney ran the third and first legs respectively in the W55 4x100 as GB claimed silver.
Brett Davis (Newport Harriers) was in the M60 4x400m relay team which claimed a silver medal.
James Thie (Cardiff Athletics) claimed a bronze medal in the M45 1500 final, while Nicky Buckwell (Newport Harriers) was part of the team to win W65 4x100 bronze.
ADIDAS PODIUM HOME NATIONS 5K – CARDIFF, 24 AUGUST
Welsh men’s and women’s teams lined up against athletes assembled from across the UK and further afield, representing the home nations, clubs and composite teams.
The event, which is held over a fast multi-lap circuit of Coopers Field in Bute Park, is considered the most competitive road race held annually in Wales.
The top Welsh finisher was Beth Kidger (Brighton Phoenix) who finished third overall in the women’s race in 15:47 – the same time as Jess Gibson, representing Adidas, who was given the nod for second place.
The overall winner was New Zealander Georgie Grgec (Adidas), who broke the tape in 15:47.
The Welsh women came within just two seconds of victory in the team competition behind Adidas thanks to some excellent runs backing up Kidger’s third place.
Jenny Nesbitt (Pontypridd Roadents) was seventh in 16:07, while Angharad Davies (Carmarthen Harriers) finished ninth in 16:14. Anna Bracegirdle (Salford Harriers) was 11th in 16:15.
A close men’s race was won by Icelandic international Baldvin Magnusson (Adidas), in 13:47, just edging out Jack Kavanagh (England) in 13:48 and Matthew Ramsden (Adidas) in 13:49.
Irish athlete Fearghal Curtin (Pontypridd Roadents) was sixth in 13:58, while Dan Nash (Pontypridd Roadents) was the first Welsh athlete to finish in 15th, clocking 14:05.
The first Welsh team representative to finish was James Heneghan (Pontypridd Roadents), 30th in 14:18.
MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL – 24 AUGUST
A young Welsh team travelled to Manchester to take on the challenge of England, Scotland and the National Athletics League, which was represented by Thames Valley Harriers.
Commonwealth Youth Games competitor Will Bishop (Cardiff Metropolitan University) was one of the best Welsh performers of the day, claiming silver in the men’s ambulant long jump with a PB of 4.50m.
Sian Harry (Belgrave Harriers) also claimed a silver – running 54.03 in the women’s 400m.
Kieren Jones (DSW Para Athletics) was second in the seated shot with a best distance of 8.08m, while Mia Lloyd (Carmarthen Harriers) was second in the women’s ambulant discus with a best of 16.01m.
Jack Organ (Brecon AC) claimed a bronze in the men’s 800m, crossing the line in 1:51.98. Thomas Loynes (Neath) was fifth in 1:54.39.
Amirah Peckham (DSW Para Athletics) finished fourth in the women’s ambulant 100m in a season’s best 17.33.
Lucy Harris (Swansea Harriers) finished fourth in the women’s discus where she produced a best of 37.13m.
The guest men’s 200m saw Finnley Roynon (Cwmbran) finish fourth in 22.04, while William Hawker (Swansea Harriers) finished sixth in a new PB of 22.21.
There was a personal best of 14.40 for Sophie Lisk on her way to fifth place in the women’s 100m hurdles.
Beca Haf Bown (Menai Track and Field) finished fifth in the 1500, clocking 4:44.00.
Another Commonwealth Youth Games representative, Joseph Berry (Newport Harriers) finished fifth in the 200m, crossing the line in 21.72.
There was a similar placing for Olivia Scrimshaw (Deeside AC) as she jumped to 11.61m in the women’s triple jump.
The men’s 400m hurdles saw Osian Parry (Cardiff Archers) claim a PB finishing seventh in 55.07.
The relays saw the Welsh women’s 4x100 team finish third in a time of 48.04, while the men’s team finished second behind England in their race clocking 41.14.
The 4x400m saw the Welsh women’s team finish second behind England in 3:48.33 and the men placed fifth in their race in 3:20.97.
CARDIFF PENTATH RUN – AUGUST 24 AND 25
The weekend saw the latest staging of the Cardiff Pentath Run – a marathon distance challenge made up of five events over two days.
Day one saw a park run (5km), a 10K and a cross country run (5km), while day two featured a half marathon (21.1km) and a mile (1.6km), which all added up to a total distance of 42.2km.
The overall winner in the men’s race was Oliver Williams (Les Croupiers) who posted a total time of 2:39.15. Club-mate Alex Price was the next fastest with 2:45.39, while Paul Morton made it a clean-sweep for Les Croups finishing third in 2:46.57.
The fastest female total time was recorded by another Les Croupiers runner – Susan Bowes who ran 3:08.29. Rachel Bowen (Lliswerry) was second in 3:10.04, while Elaine Wharmby (Brackla Harriers) was third in 3:17.49.
WANDA DIAMOND LEAGUE – SILESIA, AUGUST 25
Welsh athletes Jeremiah Azu (Cardiff Athletics) and Melissa Courtney-Bryant (Poole AC) enjoyed fine performances on a record-breaking night in Poland.
While Jacob Ingebrigsten smashed the world 3,000m record and Armand Duplantis improved his own pole vault world record, Azu and Courtney-Bryant were shining in the 100m and 1500m respectively.
Courtney-Bryant, who agonisingly missed out on a spot at the Paris Olympics, ran a season’s best time in a high-quality women’s 1500m.
The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist finished fourth in 3:59.55 behind Ethiopian duo Diribe Welteji (3:57.08) and Freweyni Hailu (3:57.08) along with Great Britain's Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Bell (3:58.11).
Meanwhile, Olympic 4x100m bronze medallist Azu, clocked 10.05 as he finished fifth in the men’s 100m, which was won by the USA’s Fred Kerley (9.87) who claimed bronze in the individual 100m in Paris.
ANTRIM HALF MARATHON – AUGUST 25
Welsh distance stars Dewi Griffiths (Swansea Harriers) and Alaw Evans (Les Croupiers) posted top 20 finishes at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon.
Commonwealth Games representative Griffiths clocked 63:17 as he finished 12th in a high quality race run in awful weather. Despite the conditions, Kenya’s Alex Nzioka Matata, broke the hour barrier by winning in 59:48.
In the women’s race, Evans just missed out on a new PB as she defied the weather to finish 15th in 75.39. The race was won by 2020 London Marathon winner Yalemzerf Yehualaw, of Ethiopia in 65:34.
BWYSTFIL-Y-BRYN/BEAST OF BRYN 2024 – CWMAFON, AUGUST 25
Established in 2011 by the BRAG (Bryn Residents Action Group), The Beast is a trail event taking in the scenic Margam Mountains and Afan Forest, featuring 6 mile and 10 mile races, along with a one-mile mini beast option.
The men’s six mike race was won by Wes Sheldon (Port Talbot Harriers) in 45:19, ahead of club-mate Alun Cox in 49:35. Joseph Wood was third in 53:57.
The first woman to cross the line was Louise Russell, who clocked 59:24, with Kate Sparkes just behind in 59:29. Heidi Morris-Barber was third in 59:57.
The 10-mile men’s race was won by Ed Slaughter (Porthcawl Harriers) in 1:09.03. Leigh Ridgeway was second in 1:11.49 and Owain Rowlands third in 1:12.18.
The women’s race was won by Claire Walters (Port Talbot Harriers) in 1:20.46. Emma Wookey (Lliswerry Runners) was second in 1:22.25 and Megan Chick (3M Gorseinon Road Runners) third in 1:30.24.
BE FIT FOR TODAY TRACK ACADEMY – LEE VALLEY, AUGUST 26
Under-20 athlete Marek Warzocha (Swansea Harriers) ran a new PB of 10.83 as he finished sixth in his heat in London on Bank Holiday Monday.
Anna Babis (Windsor Slough and Eton), who was part of the Welsh under-20 4x400m team which set a new age group record last weekend, ran a new 100m PB of 12.35 as she finished sixth in her heat. Babis also ran 58.24 as she finished second in the first heat of the 400m.
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