Busy weekend of Indoor Athletics competition for Wales’ youngsters at Cardiff and Glasgow

It was a busy weekend for junior athletes in the under 13 to under 18 age groups in Cardiff and Glasgow with two major events in the space of 24 hours.

Four Dyfed secondary school pupils made up a part of the Welsh Schools Athletic Association team which competed at the British Schools Indoor Combined Events International in Scotland on Saturday 30th November.

Fifteen school pupils from six out of the eight Welsh Districts (Afan Nedd Tawe, Cardiff & Vale, Dyfed, Glamorgan Valleys, North East Wales and South East Wales) made the long trek up to Scotland to represent the country at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow.

The International were for competitors in the under 16 and under 18 categories and the Welsh Schools squad enjoyed some encouraging performances against tough opposition.
Some had already had valuable experience of the competition whilst for others, it was all about learning and the first of many opportunities for them at this level.

Three Pembrokeshire Harriers (Flavia Jenkins, Lucy Wintle, Liam Topp) and one Carmarthen Harrier (Beca Roberts) from the Dyfed District were selected and wore the red vest of Wales following their top placing finishes in Cardiff and battled against the top Combined Event runners, jumpers and throwers from English Schools, Irish Schools and hosts Scottish Schools.

Ysgol Bro Pedr pupil Beca Roberts had the honour of being announced as the Welsh Schools’ girls team captain for 2019 alongisde Zak Wall (Cardiff High School)

Both age groups, with four athletes per country featuring, completed a pentathlon with 60m Hurdles, Shot Put, 200m / High Jump, Long Jump and 800m to finish off making up the pentathlon.

Back closer to home, approximately 350 juniors from the under 13, under 15 and under 17 age groups entered and descended on the fantastic National Indoor Athletics Centre at Cardiff Met, Cyncoed Campus yesterday (Sunday 1st December). The first of two days of action at the Welsh Athletics Junior Indoor Open event was held this side of Christmas.

The arena was looking great with parents, coaches and supporters all turning up to encourage and enjoy the opening championship fixture of the winter ahead of the Welsh Athletics Senior and Junior Indoor Athletics Championships coming up over consecutive weekends at the end of January and the beginning of February.

Following the same format as in 2018, the Junior Indoor Open in 2019 incorporates the South Wales, East Wales, West Wales and South West England Regional Championships and the competition has been spread out over two days due to the popular growth in all events over recent years.

200m, 300m, 400m, High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump and Shot Put events took centre stage on the opening day over a seven-hour programme.

Medals were awarded to the top three in all events for South Wales, East Wales and South West England Regions and the track events for West Wales athletes.

Day 2 of the Welsh Athletics Junior Indoor Open Meeting (U13 – U17) will take place at the same venue (NIAC) very soon after the New Year has passed on Sunday 5th January. Events that day will feature the short and fast 60m and 60m Hurdles, 800m and 1500m distance events as well as the Long Jump, Shot Put and Pole Vault in the field.

It’s the 800m and 1500m events that West Wales club registered members will be eligible for West Wales medals that day.

60m, 60m Hurdles, Shot Put, High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump and Pole Vault will be held in Swansea, at the annual West Wales Indoor Athletics Championships, over the weekend of 11th and 12th of January for all age categories as normal in the West Wales Championships.