Success for South Wales (and Bridgend Athletics)
22nd Welsh Athletics Inter Regional & 44th Welsh Schools’ Inter Schools
The Welsh Inter-Regional Cross-Country Championships were held in conjunction with the Welsh Inter-Schools Championships for the second time, in 2021. The event used a new course at the tried and tested venue Penlan Arena Brecon.
Race 1 started off with the Primary school girls at 11:30am with 1.455km to run. In the Bridgend AC coloured vests Imogen Vecchi completed the course in 6 minutes 25 seconds with a position of 6th and Seren Hardman completed the course not far behind in 7 minutes 5 seconds. Well done both!
Race 2 started at 11:45am with the Primary schools' boys running 1.775km. In the Bridgend AC vest colours Finlay Griffiths came 8th and completed the course in 6 minutes 5 seconds. Great running Finlay.
Race 3 saw five Bridgend ladies on the start line. They were racing just over 6k, running up the short sharp hill six times. As ever Georgie Dando led them all through the twisty course from start to finish. She crossed the line in 30th, after 25:54 minutes running. Leigh James was 37 seconds further back in 42nd, 26:31. Sophie Moore was next up in 57th, 27:40 followed by Ruth Davies 87th, 29:13. Completing our quintet was Helen Andrews just outside the top 100 in 101st, 29:58.
L-R Sophie, Helen, Ruth, Georgie, Leigh
Georgie and Leigh were part of the scoring 5 in the women’s v35 race, in silver. Ruth matched them with silver in the v45 category.
Race 4 of the day, after the Senior & Master Women, the u13s girls started their race at 12:45pm running 2.425km. 6 Bridgend athletes ran the course with Isobel Davies, Grace James and Grace Baynham running for South Wales. Isobel finished the course in 9 minutes 49 seconds with Grace James not far behind in a time of 10 minutes 13 seconds, Grace Baynham running a time of 10 minutes 47 seconds.
As part of Welsh Inter-Schools Championships Bridgend athletes Mia Amerein, Daisy Cowan-Baylis and Calla Davies all run for their school, Bryntirion. Along with Isobel Davies they finished 4th team.
Mia ran a time of 10 minutes 49 seconds, Daisy 11 minutes 35 seconds, and Calla 11 minutes 50 seconds.
Race 5 was the u13 boys who ran 2.425km. All 3 Bridgend athletes represented the South Wales region. Rhydian Lloyd-Francis, Liam Jury and Harri Davies. Rhydian completed the course in 9 minutes 30 seconds, closely followed by Liam who ran a time of 9 minutes 58 seconds and Harri running a time of 10 minutes 8 seconds. Top running boys!
Race 6 was the u15 girls who ran 3.765km. Both girls Lily Stephens and Katy Griffiths represented the South Wales region. Lily completed the course in 16 minutes 36 seconds and not far behind Katy ran a time of 16 minutes 44 seconds. Well done both!
Race 7 was the u15 boys who ran 3.765km. Bridgend Athletes Leo Watkins and Fraser Higginson represented South Wales. Leo ran the course in a time of 15 minutes 31 seconds and not far behind, Fraser ran a time of 15 minutes 55 seconds. Congrats boys!
Race 8 was the u17 & u20 women who ran 4,735km. U17 runner Freya Allen represented South Wales and completed the course in a time of 21 minutes 22 seconds. Well done Freya!
Race 9 was the u17 and u20 men who ran 5.745km and all ran for the South Wales region. u17 runner Joshua Morgan completed the course in 27 minutes 16 seconds. U20 runner Devin Coombes ran the course in 22 minutes 7 seconds and Ben Jones completed the course in 26 minutes 52 seconds. Bravo all!
The final event of the day, race 10, was left to our men. Lloyd Manning-Jones pipped Joe Thomas to be first across the line just six days after the Gwent League – also in Brecon. Lloyd was 39th in 33:35, Joe 44th in 33:52. We think Joe just missed out on the 5-to-score v35, with Lloyd taking home a bronze. Matching his bronze as part of the v55 South Wales team, Rob Hunt finished 139th in 39:49.
Overall, 20 junior Bridgend athletes ran the cross country in Brecon on the 20th November, congrats each and everyone.
(We strongly suspect our junior squad bagged themselves a team inter-regional medal or two, but we’ll need to dive into the results to pick out the detail.)
parkrun
A dozen runners took part in parkrun this Saturday – Craig Burrows, one of two under the 17 minute mark over 5k.
Report by Josh Morgan.
Photographs by Gareth Hardman & Krista Humphrey.
