Don Hale Blog

*Juliet Sidney (*second from left above), is pictured with her team mates after winning the 4 x 100m final at the European Masters Championships in Madeira. Great win for Welsh Master Athlete Juliet and her GB relay team mates at the European Masters Championships in Madeira. Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Well done to the Great Britain ladies W55 relay team who won the 4 x 100 metres final at the European Masters Athletics Championships in Madeira at the weekend with a stunning performance that is likely to be a new European record. The GB team that collected prestigious gold medals consisted of  Juliet Sidney, Diane Wright, Stefanie Dornbusch, and Christine Harrison-Bloomfield  with an impressive time of 53.84, ahead of Germany in second place, and Ireland third. *The delighted GB relay winners are shown above  just after  securing victory in the Euro Masters final in Madeira. Award winning veteran sprinter  Juliet Sidney  ...

*Pictured above - Mark Davies who has just  launched an appeal for HEADWAY. Mountain  runner Mark Davies launches a unique fundraiser for Headway - the brain injury charity association. Introduction by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Mark Davies is an inspirational and popular athlete from Llandudno, who has won numerous athletic awards, and set some extraordinary records for his incredible mountain and fell running exploits over the years, but now he is about to face his ultimate challenge to test his amazing recovery powers!   In January 2023 however, he was the victim of a hit and run incident and suffered a traumatic brain injury which completely changed his life. Now, through sheer determination, hard work, and generous support, his is slowly recovering and re-learning to talk, walk and run.   Mark has now entered the gruelling  Conwy half-marathon  in November over a challenging route that also includes a circuit of the  Grea...

Notice of Annual General Meeting on Saturday 22 November 2025 at 11:00am by Zoom...                     Urgent Reminder:   donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the British Masters Athletic Federation will take place on  Saturday 22nd November 2025 .   The meeting will be held on “Zoom” and joining details will be circulated later. The Agenda for the meeting will be circulated at a later date.   Any items for the Agenda should be submitted to the Hon. Secretary as soon as possible.   The BMAF Executive intend to include a motion on the agenda to allow BMAF to be wound up and its activities and objectives be transferred to a new company BMAF Holdings Ltd.     You support is requested for the meeting. We need new blood among our elected officers and volunteers to allow the Federation to continue to provide Championships and competition. If you can hel...

*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...

SYNAESTHESIA ELIZABETH HAINES October 18th - November 22nd, Oriel Q Gallery, Narberth. Special Coast and Country Arts Feature.                 Report by Don Hale.   donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Elizabeth Haines has developed a distinctive voice that balances observation, poetry, and imagination. Her work straddles the boundary between representation and abstraction: drawing from the landscapes of Wales, informed by years sketching from nature, yet transformed through memory and dreams. Elizabeth's art is rich in texture, colour, and inner space. Her studio practice is deeply connected to her surroundings: the rugged terrain, changing light of Pembrokeshire feed her work, but so too do poetry and music Her paintings invite the viewer in: at first through colour, surface, and form; then deeper, toward architecture, trees, or horizons suggested rather than stated. https://www.orielqnarberth.com/synaesthesia-elizabeth-haines   Gallery Opens...

*John and Michelle Farrell competed well in the Bath Marathon. Great new PB times for John and Michelle at the Bath Marathon. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Caitlin Faye. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 GOG Triathlon members John and Michelle Farrell competed well in the Bath Marathon last Sunday with both athletes recording some very good finishing times and new personal best (PB) times! Michelle won her age category in the Police Services UK (PSUK) championships and John was pleased with fourth place in his own age cat. After the event John confirmed: "A Lovely few days in Bath. A beautiful city and a marathon. PB’s for both Chelle and myself in 3:45 and 3:52 r espectively, and yet another win in age for Michelle at PSUK champs and 4th in age for me." *Pictured above - Michelle (*right) received her winners trophy from a police official.

*Pictured above left - Josie Davies with Mandy Owen in Manchester. Some Happy Faces at the Manchester half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 North Wales runners Josie Davies and Mandy Owen  took part in the  Manchester half-marathon  on Sunday.  For Josie in particular, it was an emotional event after losing her husband Gethin earlier this year, and this challenge was part of her prolific fundraising plan for the Happy Faces Cancer Charity, Josie confirmed:   “The biggest thank you to Mandy and Charlie Owen  for today, 1 for taking us, and 2 for Charlie “Daddy Day Care” services for looking after the boys for me to take part in the race.  “Quite a stressful time getting ready to run, and the organisation was far from the best race I’ve taken part in, and the finish wasn’t much better, but the actual run I really enjoyed. “It was my first half-marathon since the Cardiff Half last October, and I did pretty much the same tim...

*Gareth Southworth  and his wife Kath inside the stadium in Melbourne. North Wales athlete and parkrunner Gareth went ‘Down Under’ to compete in the Melbourne half-marathon...plus parkrun results round up... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Popular North Wales athlete and parkrunner Gareth Southworth continued his running exploits in Australia over the weekend by competing in the Melbourne half-marathon on Sunday. Gareth, who was representing   Cybi Striders , is enjoying a break ‘Down-Under’ with his wife Kath and enjoyed a good run in 1 hour 43 minutes and 56 minutes, and he was 15th in his VM60-64 age cat (1773rd) overall amongst over 12,154 finishers. This event was part of the  Melbourne Marathon Festival  and after his run, Gareth commented: “It was an unreal experience to finish inside the iconic MCG Stadium.” This latest result followed his performance the day before in the  Parkville parkrun  in Princes Park, Melbourne, wher...