Posts

Showing posts from March, 2024

Easter surprise - Double date Welsh selection for Will Williams - and international call-ups and news for other NWRRC athletes.

Image
*NWRRC member Will Williams (*above), called-up for double Welsh date. Easter surprise - Double date Welsh selection for Will Williams - and international call-ups and news for other NWRRC athletes. Report by Don Hale.    North Wales Road Runner Will Williams received a welcome Easter surprise this week with confirmation that he has been selected to represent Wales in two varied international distance races next month against the old enemy England! He is now one of three top-level club athletes who have recently had their talents recognised by the sporting authorities following some consistent and outstanding performances. Will, who has just recovered from a niggling knee injury, confirmed that he will compete in the Masters’ International 10k race at Birmingham on Sunday 5th May, and then again for the Masters’ International half-marathon event at Manchester on Sunday 26th May. Following news of his selection, based on several previously outstanding efforts in the red vest on both the

Non-stop action in six-goal thriller for Kinmel Bay.

Image
Non-stop action in six-goal thriller for Kinmel Bay. Kinmel bay FC (3) v Abergele FC (3)  23 March 2024 played in St Asaph.   Special match report and photos courtesy of Barry Griffiths – media officer Kinmel Bay FC. Cold and windy but a sunny day saw wall to wall action from these local teams in the Worth Wales Coast East Football League Premier Division. Kinmel Bay warmed up in the Conwy Mind shirts to raise more awareness that mental health needs to be taken seriously by all of us. No score and 24 minutes in the Bay’s  Leon Bower  received a red card putting them a man down for the rest of the match. Despite this loss the team pulled round to hold Abergele to a 3 all draw, a commendable performance and example of determination in teamwork.  For the match there was no score until the end of the first half when Abergele’s  Dominic Holland  assisted by  Ryan Jones  drove home his first of two goals. The Bay equalised 12 minutes later when  Liam Jones  assisted by  Paddy Hamid scored, t

Gold medal success for Welsh Masters Athletics newbie Carolyn Arber as she competed down Memory Lane.

Image
*Carolyn Arber pictured above at Colwyn Bay after winning her age cat. Welsh Masters newbie Carolyn Arber celebrates Metric Marathon race success on former home patch. Intro by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It’s always good to receive notifications from Welsh Athletics members, and this week I was pleased to read a note from  Carolyn Arber , who is a WMAL newbie, who coincidentally took part in a longer version of the same Metric marathon, and half marathon races as myself, last weekend organised by RunWales. The following report is based on her own personal experiences.   Running down Memory Lane by Carolyn Arber:   I am a new member of Welsh Masters and last Sunday I ran in the Colwyn Bay Metric Marathon. I was born in Colwyn Bay but live in Cheshire so was determined to have a medal and T shirt with my place of birth on.  It was a windy old course to Penrhyn Bay, twice, but was lovely to take a trip down Memory Lane. Starting in Eirias

Medal winner and 'pocket rocket' Juliet Sidney talks about her recent success at the European championships at Torun in Poland.

Image
*Juliet Sidney (*back right) is pictured with her team mates in Poland. Medal winner and 'pocket rocket' Juliet Sidney talks about her recent success at the European championships at Torun in Poland. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Welsh Master sprinter and medal winner Juliet Sidney has recalled her exploits from the European Championships at Torun in Poland from last week. Juliet, who is perhaps better known as the ‘Pocket Rocket,’ competed in the 60m, the 200m and relay events. Although she was a little disappointed with her efforts in the earlier heats for the 60m race, Juliet deservedly made it to her first ever 200m indoor W55 final, and later ran as part of the bronze medal winning relay team. She later confirmed: “It was a  week of ups and downs. I finished with a bronze medal in the W50 4 x 200 relay, with thanks to my team  mates  Fiona Steele , Sarah Loades , and Stefano Dornbusch.  They all ran amazing legs to

NW Road Runner Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts gains selection to the GB Duathlon team...plus news from the Valetta half-marathon, Cheshire Elite, Newborough and Nova parkruns..

Image
Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts (*pictured above) wins qualification to the GB Team for 2025 Duathlon Championships. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmasterathletics.co.uk North Wales Road Runner Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts has gained qualification to the GB Team after finishing 3rd in his respective age category during a 2025 Duathlon Championships qualifying event, held last Sunday on the East Fortune Race Circuit, near Edinburgh. Welsh master Llyr competed in a 5k run, followed by a 21k bike ride, and a final 2.5k run, with his excellent times, and age cat position ensuring him an automatic qualification. His very fast times for each event included his first run of 5k in just 18 minutes, the 21k cycle race in 36 minutes, and the final 2.5k run in 9 minutes. After the event, he confirmed: “I secured my qualification for the 2025 championships by finishing in the top-four of my age group at this event (I missed out at Castle Combe at the beginning of March). “Overall, I

Medals galore for NW Road Runners at Colwyn Bay Metric races.

Image
*Some of the NWRRC team pictured above at Colwyn  Bay (back row l-r): Dave Jones, Phil and Carol Moss, Rob Fryer, Rachel Morris, Sarah Jones, Daniel  Henley, and (*front row), Don Hale, Mike Hayton and Cheryl Frost. Medals galore and PBs for NW Road Runners at the Colwyn Bay Metric races... Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Lesley Goodson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmasterathletics.co.uk   Nearly three-hundred mixed ability runners took part in the challenging Colwyn Bay Metric Marathon, and Metric Half-Marathon races, run together last Sunday in cool and very breezy conditions. Well-organised by RunWales, and well supported by numerous volunteers and marshalls, including a generous number from Porth Eirias Runners, the entrants had to battle with very strong and blustery headwinds on the re-routed four-mile outward course towards Penrhyn Bay from the start on the running track at the Eirias Park Stadium. The Metric half-marathon  (13.1 kms/8.13 miles), attracted 87 run

North Wales Regional T&F Outdoor Championships 2024 - Entries now open for Deeside events.

Image
North Wales Regional Championships 2024 Contact Details: amy.edwards@welshathletics.org Please contact the organiser, not OpenTrack, for all queries Start Lists  Enter Here 38 days, 7 hours, 18 min to go   Competitors   (8) North Wales Outdoor T&F Championships Saturday 11th May @ Deeside Stadium. *Link to entries:  https://wales.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2024/GBR/nwrac/?fbclid=IwAR2Lav-BHvDo8tge4EJDiW0japunlxFuhyY40sFVQEFl-U3tOSlD1aVyROI Masters will compete in Senior events using appropriate equipment. (U11's not eligible for Regional Championships therefore strictly no u11's entries). NORTH WALES Eligibility 1. Birth: born within the area covered by N.W.R.A.C. 2. Residence: Continuous current residence within the area covered by N.W.R.A.C. for at least 9 months. 3. Retention: An athlete may retain his/her existing qualification to represent N. Wales and compete in the N. Wales Regional Championship, provided that he/she has not represented another Region or County, nor compe

Fast times at Conwy parkrun and a good turn-out despite the cold and blustery conditions.

Image
*Adam Lemalle (*above) was the first NWRRC club runner at Conwy parkrun. Fast times and a good turn-out at Conwy parkrun despite the cold and blustery conditions... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmasterathletics.co.uk   Despite a bitterly cold day, and a strong blustery wind, nearly two-hundred entrants still braved the elements and recorded some fast times over the challenging but relatively dry 5k course at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning. The event once again attracted a large number of visiting club and social runners from across the UK and Ireland, as part of an early Easter break, and plaudits were again handed to NWRRC member and parkrun volunteer  John Hatton , for his sterling efforts to help improve part of the start area. GOG Triathlete  Simon Cole  was the first runner home with an impressive time of just 17 minutes and 35 seconds to additionally win his VM40 age cat, and at the time of writing, the second placed runner remained unknown, b