Don Hale Blog

*Steve Gardner - pictured above and below - at the British Champs where he was representing Tim Tri Cymru. Double boost for Welsh Master  Steve  Gardner with two new international Team GB dates for Sprint Duathlons in 2027. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Welsh Master and track star Steve Gardner has just been selected to represent Team Great Britain in his MV60 age category at two major international Sprint Duathlon Championships during next year following his success at some prestigious recent events. This week, he confirmed:  “It’s been an exceptionally good few weeks lately. Within the last half hour, I have received an email confirming that I have qualified to represent Great Britain - age group team in the World Sprint Duathlon Championships in Edmonton Canada 2027 following my performance at the British Sprint Duathlon Champs at Oulton Park recently.  “And just seven days earlier, after winning the V60 age group at the Scottish Sprint Duathl...

Good mix of varied ability athletes at a busy Rhos parkrun - plus NW results round up... Report by Don Hale. Conwy photos by Micheal Finnie. * *Steve Gardner is pictured right. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It proved to be another bumper turn-out at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday with a generous mix of top junior and senior club runners, plus numerous first timers, social runners and walkers. Six out of the first ten finishers at  Rhos  were debutants, including many talented youngsters, all testing their paces against each other.  Surprisingly though, in a sprint finish, VM35 athlete  Aled Hughes  (GOG Triathlon) eventually claimed the top spot with a new course PB in 17 minutes and 11 seconds, whilst JM11-14 youngster  Finlay Potter  (Warriors Pentathlon & AC) finished just two-seconds behind Aled in 17.13, and  Craig Connor  (Chester Tri-Club) took the third spot, and he was only another f...

*Pictured above - track champion and Welsh International athlete Steve Gardner. Victory for Steve Gardner at the Scottish Sprint Duathlon Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   Welsh International track athlete Steve Gardner won his age category in a prestigious Duathlon Sprint event in Edinburgh last weekend. The Team GB athlete, and  NWRRC  member, who was representing his second claim club  GOG Triathlon , improved on his previous impressive result - and a silver medal - at the recent Welsh Sprint Duathlon Championships just a fortnight ago, to win his MV60-64 cat following a strong overall performance. Steve later said:  “I competed for  GOG Triathlon Club  in the East Fortune Sprint Duathlon, located on a racetrack to the East of Edinburgh. The events consisted of 5k run, a 20k cycle, and a final 2.5k run.  “Finishing in 1st place in my veteran age group was an improvement on my 2nd place at the Welsh Champs ...

*Steve Gardner (*above left) on the podium with Tim Parfitt and Steven Gee. Track champion Steve finished second at the Welsh Duathlon championships. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog International track champion Steve Gardner finished as the runner-up on the podium in the prestigious Welsh Sprint Duathlon Championships at Pembroke last Sunday. The NWRRC member, and GB track athlete, who was representing his second claim club GOG Triathlon, competed in a 5k run, a 21k cycle race, followed by a final 2.5k dash, and he finished second overall with an excellent combined time of 1 hour 12 minutes and 31 seconds. After his event, Steve confirmed:  “Just a note to let you know I competed for GOG Triathlon Club today, finishing in 2nd place; 1st place went to  Tim Parfitt  in a time 1 hour 12 mins and 31 seconds, and the 3rd spot went to  Steven Gee  in 1 hour 13 mins and 17 seconds.  “There was only 46 seconds between the three of us, so it was a...

*Steve Gardner is pictured (*above left) on the podium at the European Masters event. Prestigious Silver medal for Steve Gardner at European Masters Champs...plus a new PB and a new Welsh track record! Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Welsh Master Steve Gardner came home with a prestigious silver medal after competing in the European Masters Athletics Championships in Madeira last week and said that competing successfully at this level had been like a dream come true. The North Wales Road Runner  was representing Great Britain once again in the 2000m steeplechase event, and he finished second following a highly competitive encounter against some of the world’s top track athletes, yet he recorded a great new PB and claimed a new Welsh Masters record! Veteran Steve was one of 4,200 masters athletes from 33 European countries at this top Euro Masters track championship event, and he praised his North Wales endurance coach  John Mussum  for his h...

*Pictured on the podium (l-r): Simon Allen, Steve Gardner, and Phil York Welsh Master Steve Gardner struck gold at the British championships in Derby... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Welsh Master Steve Gardner claimed a prestigious gold medal last weekend in the 2000m steeplechase race during the British Masters Track and Field Championships held at the Moorways Stadium, near Derby. Despite his varied successes on the track, bizarrely, this was the first time he has ever won a gold medal in the British Championships, and this latest impressive result is likely to have smashed another Welsh record! After his event, a delighted Steve confirmed:  “ I competed in the 2000m steeplechase, winning a gold medal with a time of 7.37.24, with  Phil York  second and  Simon Allen  third. “Whilst I have had some good results previously in  Welsh Championships , this is the first time that I have won a gold medal in a British Championship.” Stev...

*Pictured above - Welsh Master Steve Gardner at a recent  track race. Welsh Master Steve Gardner denied a new steeplechase record due to a water leak! Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Welsh Master and international track athlete Steve Gardner hit the track running again last weekend and celebrated in style after winning his 2000m steeplechase race at a British Masters Championship meeting, but he was denied a new record due to a water leak! Staged at the Pingles Stadium in Nuneaton, he took part in a mixed race and was delighted with his outstanding overall win in an excellent time of just 7 minutes 31.62 seconds, but his result won’t count however as a record, as the runners had to miss out on the water jump due to an unfortunate leak, leaving the tray pit only half full. Steve, who also represents  North Wales Road Runners , was obviously disappointed by this unusual problem, but with his current good form on the tra...

    *Steve and Dave Gardner (*above) collected a hat-trick of gold medals. Three gold medals for father and son at the Welsh Masters T&F Championships... Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Super veteran Dave Gardner won two gold medals at the WMAL Track & Field Championships at Yate on 8th June, with his veteran track star son Steve, also striking gold following a great performance in the 800m race. The talented North Wales Road Runner won the javelin event and his V85 age cat with what is expected to be another Welsh record and claimed another prestigious gold medal in the shot competition. His son Steve was also on top form, and he won a gold medal in the 800m race. After the event Steve confirmed : “My dad won two gold medals at the weekend, winning the javelin, and most likely extending his current Welsh V85 age cat record with a throw of 16.13m pending ratification from Chris Pruski at Welsh Masters Athletics.  “His second gold ...

*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...

*Pictured above - NWRRC veteran track athlete Steve Gardner. Steve Gardner recorded two new PBs against the new ‘Coe and Ovett’ at British Champs... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   North Wales Road Runner Steve Gardner recorded two new personal best times on the track last weekend at the British Masters championships against the new ‘Coe and Ovett’ pair of elite racers. Steve, who is a top Welsh Master, and an international veteran track athlete, smashed his previous times in the 800m and 1500m races, and he is almost certain to have broken the previous 800m Welsh record, yet to be verified. After his busy weekend, he confirmed:  “I have just got home from the BMAF Championships held at the Lee Valley Indoor Stadium, which is the culmination of the Indoor season for me.  “I competed in the 800m on Saturday finishing in 4th place in my V60 age category in a new personal best (PB) time of 2.19.14, and I suspect that this may be a new Welsh V60 re...

*Pictured above - NWRRC track star and record holder Steve Gardner. Steve Gardner competed in the British Masters Indoor 3000m champs at Sheffield. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk North Wales Road Runner Steve Gardner took to the track again last week and this time he travelled across the Pennines to compete for the Welsh Masters in the British Masters Indoor championships held in Sheffield. Despite an excellent performance, the record breaking veteran Welsh athlete was slightly down on his best time for this distance, and faced some stern competition.   After the event, Steve  confirmed: “I competed in the British Masters Indoor Championships last Sunday. It was a very strong MV60 age category held over two races. I finished 2nd in the B race in a time of 10.43 which meant I was 10th overall taking into consideration the times of both races. I was 5-seconds slower than my PB but pleased with my performance on th...

*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.