Don Hale Blog

*North Wales athlete Steve Gardner (*above) in the 1500m steeplechase race. Four new Welsh records by father and son at the NW Track & Field open meeting at Deeside... Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Father and son Dave and Steve Gardner celebrated once again after breaking four Welsh Masters records at the first outdoor event of the season, during the North Wales Endurance Track and Field open meeting, held at the Deeside Stadium, Connah’s Quay, on 4th April. Super veteran Dave competed in the javelin and the shot putt events and he won his M85 age category in both mixed age competitions to add to his many other previous and prestigious Welsh Masters Athletics championship victories and records.  In the Javelin, his winning throw was 15.32m, and in the shot event he recorded another successful throw of 7.19m. Steve meanwhile competed in the 1000m and in the 1500m steeplechase races, and he too won his M60 age cat in both events and smashed two...

*Steve Gardner (*above left), with his dad Dave. Gold medals for father and son Dave and Steve Gardner at the Indoor Championships. Report by Don Hale https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Road Runner and super-vet Dave Gardner struck gold at the North Wales Indoor Championships at Coleg Cambria, Deeside, last Sunday by winning his M85 age category in the shot-put competition. Dave also improved on his previous PB and winning performance from last year when he competed in the M80 cat with a superb throw of 7.26m, which is also expected to be a national record. He later obtained a deserved podium place and collected a prestigious gold medal for his sterling efforts. Meanwhile, Dave’s son  Steve Gardner , also collected a gold medal in the Welsh Masters Indoor Championships at Cardiff on Sunday in his 800m track event with an excellent winning time of 2 minutes 20.89 seconds. *Gold medal winners Dave Gardner (*above left), with Steve Gardner.

*Pictured above - Steve  Gardner (*left) with his father Dave at Yate. Father and son Steve and Dave Gardner struck gold at the WMAL track & field champs at Yate... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Father and son athletes Steve and Dave Gardner struck gold at the Welsh Masters track & field championships at Yate last weekend, with Dave winning a gold medal in the 1500m race, whilst his dad Dave, proudly won two gold medals in the shot put and javelin events. Steve Gardner had a superb run in the 1500m track race recording a new PB time of 5 minutes and 9 seconds, to take the gold medal in his MV60 age cat, and beating his previous winning time from last year of 5.13. And to add to his success,  he has received notification this week from Bernie Jones , the Welsh Masters team manager, that he has been selected to represent Wales in the mid Cheshire 5k on 23rd August.  Meanwhile Dave Gardner has probably smashed ...

*The NWRRC trio (*above) who won a total of five medals at the Regional champs. Pictured (l-r): Steve Gardner, Dave Gardner and Michael Finnie. Road Running trio won five medals, new PBs, and broke some records at NW Track & Field champs. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Three Road Runners took to the track last Saturday at Deeside for the North Wales Regional Track & Field Championships and set some new PBs, won five prestigious medals, and also smashed a couple of Welsh records! Veteran  Steve Gardner  hit top form in the 3000m race for Senior Men, and he finished in 7th place overall within a quality field and won a gold medal after finishing 1st in his VM60 age cat with a superb new PB time of 11 minutes and 2 seconds.  His father  Dave Gardner  also excelled in the shot put and javelin events and won two gold medals in his VM80 age cat in both events, with some exceptional throws, which are ...

*Pictured above - North Wales Road Runners (l-r), Steve Gardner, Michael (Pat) Finnie, and Don Hale at the Indoor Open 60m event last Saturday. Top performances by NW Road Running quartet at the Christmas Indoor Open event... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Four veteran Road Runners competed in the North Wales Christmas Indoor Open Challenge event staged at Coleg Cambria, at Connah's Quay, last Saturday afternoon, and they all claimed new PB’s, podium places, and probable new records in their respective age categories. This was an extra meeting on the Track & Field race calendar that attracted a few hundred of the best junior to master athletes in the region who competed in a wide variety of events in an indoor arena. Steve Gardner, Michael (Pat) Finnie,  and  Don Hale  from NWRRC all ran in the 60m heats, whilst Steve’s father  Dave Gardner  took part in the shot-put competition and won his super-m...

*Steve Mason (*above) at Conwy parkrun. Road Runners took the plaudits at blustery Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Due to several fixture clashes only six North Wales Road Runners took part in the Saturday morning parkrun at Conwy, but they still recorded three age category wins and Steve Mason was the first male runner back home amidst 181 starters. Steve  maintained his recent good form to claim a notable victory, and he also won his MV45 age cat in 18 minutes and 59 seconds despite the blustery conditions and a puddle-filled course. Former NWRRC athlete  Chris Yorke  took the 2nd spot overall, and he too won his VM50 age cat in 19.21, with  Lewis Jones  finishing in 3rd place and 1st VM35 cat in 19.53. The 1st female runner was local junior athlete  Sophia Voice,  who also won her JM11-14 age cat in 11th place overall in 21.33. *Jamie Tharme (*above left) with veteran Rob Fryer. Jamie Tharme  was the next Road...