Latest updates regarding the Welsh Masters Indoor T&F Championships on 21st January 2024.

By Don Hale

Latest updates regarding the Welsh Masters Indoor T&F Championships on 21st January.

Special report and comments from Brett Davis and Dave Watson at WMAL

 

Brett Davis, a director of WMAL has confirmed some extraordinary updates regarding the 2024 Welsh Masters athletics T&F Championships. 

He said: “Due to the demands of the programme and restrictions caused by the timetable challenges, Welsh Athletics were only able to offer us (indoor) championship events at 60m, 200m and 300m. 

“The middle-distance events are run by the British Miler’s Club, and we await the conditions there when they go live on the BMC website, but they may be elite open only. No field events are championship events due to number restrictions, but individuals can enter, there just won’t be any medals for those events.”

And today he added, hot off the press: “I can update now that the BMC is elite only which translates to 1:58 800m, and 4:05 1500m, for males, and 2:20 and 4:50 for females.”

 

The championships will be live via the Welsh athletics website. 

 




Another WMAL official, Dave Watson (*pictured above), commented: “After reading all the above with Welsh Athletics and British Milers catering either for elite runners with no field events, and very restricted track opportunities, just shows to me how important Welsh Masters Athletics is in the scheme of things. 

“I constantly read about ‘Inclusive for all,’ and ‘developing talent,’ but I see little evidence of the support for Welsh Masters athletes, apart from occasional hard-fought gains. 

“Look how popular the Inter-areas are with Welsh Masters, there's a huge demand from people for that type of event, that would really benefit and give back something to the sport. It just says to me that we have to keep pushing and fighting to promote Welsh Masters Athletics.” 





 

Don Hale is a former award winning investigative journalist and now a best-selling author who has created a very popular blog post linked to numerous social media sites. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025.

Comments

Post a Comment

Your comments are welcomed

Most recent posts

Valentine’s Day entrants beat the frost at Rhos and shared their love of running.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday. Valentine’s Day entrants beat the frost at Rhos and shared their love of running. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael Finnie and Bill Scriven. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Heavy overnight frost morning forced the cancellation of five parkruns throughout North Wales last Saturday morning, but the surviving  Valentine’s Day events proved a love of running, and especially at Llandrillo yn Rhos, where yet another bumper attendance created a tremendous atmosphere. Despite a rather sandy and challenging 5k promenade course, this event is proving to be a magnet each week for visiting runners – and particularly for elite club athletes - with debutants again accounting for seven out of the first ten finishers. Talented visiting athlete  Paul Jones  (Shrewsbury AC) was the first finisher at Rhos on his course debut in just 16 minutes and 50 seconds, but local footballer  Aaron Dodwell  ...
Read more

The tough Nick Beer 10k race proved a great success once more with good numbers and a fast pace...

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above and lower - runners at the start of the Nick Beer 10k race as they depart Llandudno promenade ( *Photos by Don Hale ). The tough Nick Beer 10k race proved a great success once more with good numbers and a fast pace... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 The annual Nick Beer 10k race proved a hit once more with a massive 967 athletes completing a tough course from outside Venue Cymru and around the Great Orme before returning to Llandudno’s spectacular promenade, where spectators gave each entrant a warm welcome on a rather cool and breezy day. Visiting athlete  Hamish Morton  (Cambridge & Coleridge AC) was the first finisher overall in just 34 minutes and 55 seconds, and he was the 1st MSen, but he was one of four elite runners who ran away from the main pack and they all dipped under the magic 36-minute mark.  *Menai T&F athlete Steffan Sayer (*above) finished second in the Nick Beer 10k. Steffan Sayer  (Menai T&F) was the r...
Read more

Joe Horner confirms a near full WMAL team for Inter-Regional Championships at Lee Valley...

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - the Lee Valley indoor track. Joe Horner confirms a near full WMAL team for the  Inter-Regional Championships at Lee Valley... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Following an appeal on this blog last week from Rod Davies at Welsh Masters Athletics Ltd, Joe Horner and his colleague Adrian have agreed to try and put a team together asap for the forthcoming T&F events. *This was my previous blog with the appeal details:  Don Hale Blog: UPDATE: Temporary team managers appointed for Wels... https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/update-temporary-team-managers.html?spref=tw This week Joe Horner confirmed the latest updates and news relating to the forthcoming Inter-Regional championships at Lee Valley. Hi everyone, As you may have heard from Rod Davies at WMAL, the 2026 inter-regional is at Lee Valley on 14th March and Adrian and I have agreed to stand in for Brett in getting a team together. We're now in the happy position of having an almost...
Read more

Supertemps boss Sarah Elwood pledges new Dark Run charity support for Hope House & Tŷ Gobaith

By Don Hale
Image
*North Wales runner Gwen Charlton (*above) is shown with her boys at a recent and popular Penrhyn Castle charity Dark Run. Supertemps boss Sarah Elwood pledges new Dark Run charity support for  Tŷ Gobaith... Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Race organiser John Hatton (*pictured right), who promotes the popular DARK RUNS at Conwy, and at Penrhyn Castle - which have raised many thousands of pounds for local children’s cancer charities - has just confirmed that Supertemps have made  Tŷ Gobaith   Children’s Hospice their ‘Charity of the Year’ for 2026. He explained that keen runner with GOG Triathlon and well-known local businesswoman  Sarah Elwood , the managing director at Supertemps, who has sponsored these events for the past two years, has now agreed to provide further financial support once more.  John also outlined his latest fundraising plans stating:  “This year we are making  Penrhyn  a very big event and we are hoping...
Read more

Welcome to parkrun North Wales - an exciting new initiative from Dave Munday.

By Don Hale
Image
Welcome to parkrun North Wales Dave Munday launches an exciting new online site for NW parkrunners. Special report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   This an exciting new initiative from the well-known, popular parkrunner and local  athlete Dave Munday, who is ready to provide a regular summary of all North Wales parkruns. He explained this week:  " This is the site I am using for the round-up of all 17 North Wales parkruns, stats on numbers attending etc.  "The parkruns are continuing to grow in North Wales, and this group is for regular local parkrunners and visitors to our wonderful events throughout the region.  "Weekly stats and information will be shared, but please use it to tell your own parkrun journey, achievements and milestones, and also to connect with other parkrunners." *For more details please check out this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2193251831088739
Read more

The BMAF Council is calling an EGM on Wednesday 4 March 2026 at 7pm.

By Don Hale
Image
The BMAF Council is calling an EGM on Wednesday 4 March 2026 at 7pm. The meeting will be held by Zoom The motion for the meeting will be It is noted that the BMAF executive committee has a large number of vacancies and with just three members is not quorate.  In light of this, the BMAF Council will take on the responsibility of finding and appointing additional people to serve as officers on the BMAF Executive until the next AGM to ensure that the Business of the BMAF can continue. Background At the Annual General Meeting in November 2025, the meeting decided that it was not ready to endorse the winding up of the Federation and the transfer of its activities into a limited company.  Because of this too few people were willing to stand for election to the Executive Committee.  The BMAF Executive Committee currently has two elected members Walter Hill and Glen Reddington plus Jon Clarke representing England Masters.  The committee is not quorate.  The BMAF Council...
Read more

Runaway success at the Conwy Mountain Race

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - Colwyn Bay AC runner Josh Mottram at the Conwy race. Runaway success at the Conwy Mountain Race Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Sean Gavin. donhaleblog.blogsport.com/2025 The Conwy Mountain Race proved to be a runaway success once again and attracted a record entry of some 167 experienced fell and mountain athletes to this challenging course, which was the first fixture in this tough North Wales Series. The race over 5-miles with a climb of 1650ft, was eventually won by Gavin Roberts (Eryri Harriers) in 43 minutes and 33 seconds and he was the first M40 runner.  In second place was Chris McLean (Meirionnydd RC) and he was the first Male Open age cat winner in 44.39, with Rhys Jones (Hebog) third, and he was second in the same age cat as Chris in 45.20. The First Lady was Miranda Grant (Eryri Harriers) in 54.55 and she won her F40 cat, and the same club claimed the first three female finishing places, and they were all F40 age cat athletes, with Tess E...
Read more

Entries now open for the Deganwy 5 mile Dash - see full details - 29th May 2026.

By Don Hale
Image
Time to enter the famous Deganwy 5-mile Dash - entries limited to just 350 places for this unique charity race. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Entries for the famous Deganwy 5-mile Dash are now open, and runners are advised to enter early as numbers will be limited to just 350 due to the popularity of this essential fundraising event for Children’s Cancer charities. *This is the important link for Deganwy Dash entries:   https://in.tdlentries.co.uk/2026-deganwy-dash The event on Friday 29th May 2026 starts and finishes on Deganwy Promenade close to the revamped shelter and follows a picturesque course along the river estuary and around Conwy Cob to the RSPB Nature Reserve, where it turns and returns back along the same route to the finish. Run director John Hatton confirmed this week: “The Deganwy Dash is now live now for entries. The aim of the race is to still raise money for Cancer in Children. Joshua Tree is our main recipient for money plus as before Young ...
Read more

Please support SPORT in Conwy...John Hatton appeals for urgent support for top sports event

By Don Hale
Image
*John Hatton above - with Dame Laura Kenny - at last year's awards. Please support SPORT in Conwy...  John Hatton appeals for urgent support for top sports event... special report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 The well-known, award-winning athletics coach and charity fundraiser John Hatton is appealing for urgent  help and new ideas to both  save and support Sport Conwy. With all the current cost of living problems to contend with, and a succession of funding reductions, especially in relation to sport, he has come up with an innovative idea that might appeal to local businesses, support groups, and community organisations to help keep Sport Conwy going! John explained: “I am on the committee for Sport Conwy, and we have been supporting local sports for 30 years, this year. However, financial cutbacks and grants that we usually apply for have been dramatically cut,  I have come up with a new scheme to fill our void in finances, and  to help ma...
Read more

TIME TO TAKE ON THE BEAST - the Beast of Bryn - charity races on 23rd August 2026

By Don Hale
Image
Beast of Bryn 2026 :  23 August 2026 donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Beast of Bryn 2026 (Bwystfil Y Bryn): Info from Paul Bulmer. https://beastofbryn.fullonsport.com/event/beast-of-bryn-2026/profile We are delighted to be hosting the Beast of Bryn 2026 (Bwystfil Y Bryn) BRAG (Bryn Residents Action Group) established this race in 2011 and it quickly grew in size and reputation. Much of the history of the race can be found on the BRAG  website . The management of the race was outsourced for a few years, but since 2024 has been fully managed by  BRAG. The event is held under UK Athletics rules with the registration number TR-26-5. We have two distances to choose from – approximately 6.5 miles (10.5km) or 10.5 miles (17km) with total climbs of approximately 288 or 556 Meters. The 10.5-mile route can also be part of the  Welsh Athletics Masters Championship  for affiliated runners. The route passes through the mountains of Afan Forest Park, with stunning view...
Read more