WELSH MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS – LONDON – SUNDAY, 21ST APRIL 2012
Yet again the London Marathon will host the Welsh Senior Marathon Championships and this year sees a new face to marathon running. Alex Hains, in his first serious marathon after pacing his partner Ava Hutchinson to the Irish qualifying standard of 2.35 for the Olympics at the Houston Marathon in January, will be looking for a good performance.
(Alex Hains pictured in the Great Wales Run)
On his debut ½ marathon in Marrakech in January, Alex ran 64:30 to become the fastest Welsh ½ marathoner for 10 years and hopes this will carry through into the marathon. A few easy weeks due to a back strain last month will encourage him to start cautiously which could see him working through the pack. With many UK athletes going off at 2.12 pace in the hope of Olympic qualification, there could be many athletes for Alex to target as they drop off the pack.
Richie Gardiner is also running the London Marathon and will not give up his title without a fight. Having won the Welsh Championships on 4 occasions he will be hoping to equal the record of 5 Welsh marathon titles. The Commonwealth 55k Trail Champion has been in superb form recently despite his poor performance in the Reading ½ marathon last month, having finished 2nd in the Welsh Cross Country Championships. Richie is looking be beat his pb of 2.18:41 which he set back in 2006.
Last years Welsh Marathon Champion Paul Halford is also in the field, alongwith Nat Lane who will be “running around” in 2.40.
2011 Snowdon Marathon winner Rob Samuel is on the start line on Sunday and will be looking to get close to 2.20. Rob has the strength to run well towards the end of the race and could surprise a few on the day.
The women’s field is wide open with 3 times Welsh Champion Ann Marie Hutchison deciding to give London a miss this year. Sally Wilder ran 3.00:32 in the Gloucester Marathon in January and will be looking to break the 3 hour barrier for the first time. Ann Thomas and Shan Roberts have both run around 3 hours. Kelly Morgan ran a ½ marathon pb of 83:06 in Reading and with a new club and training group headed by Richie Gardiner she will be hoping for a big improvement on her 3.11 pb and could get close to 3 hours if conditions are good. Clare Phillips ran 2.53 in the Llanelli Marathon last year so could be a threat.
Olympic marathon runner Tracey Morris will be running around for the Jane Tomlinson Trust. Despite being out of the sport for 18 months with a foot injury, Tracey ran the Paris Marathon last weekend in 3.07 and is cycling 500 miles from Paris to London this week before running the London Marathon on Sunday.
The Welsh Marathon Championships is also part of the Run Wales series and so double points are awarded with 50 points for 1st Welsh athlete down to 1 point for 50thplace.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL WELSH RUNNERS ON SUNDAY
Previous Welsh Marathon Champions
Men (67 runnings)
17 Apr 2011 London 2:28:32 Paul Halford
25 Apr 2010 London 2:27:37 Ian Williams
26 Apr 2009 London 2:19:48 Richard Gardiner-4
13 Apr 2008 London 2:20:28 Richard Gardiner-3
22 Apr 2007 London 2:20:26 Richard Gardiner-2
24 Sep 2006 Anglesey 2:52:18 Chris Thorne
17 Apr 2005 London 2:26:42 Julian Baker
18 Apr 2004 London 2:26:08 Richard Gardiner
01 Jun 2003 Lake Vyrnwy 2:33:04 Rhodri Jones
02 Jun 2002 Lake Vyrnwy 2:44:56 Richard Jones
01 Jul 2001 Lake Vyrnwy 2:34:55 Harry Day
.... not held
31 Oct 1999 Snowdonia 2:41:13 Emlyn Roberts
25 Oct 1998 Snowdonia 2:48:41 Peter Maggs
26 Oct 1997 Snowdonia 2:49:09 Richard Jones
27 Oct 1996 Snowdonia 2:41:45 Howard Parsell
29 Oct 1995 Snowdonia 2:39:37 Dewi Jones-3
.... not held
13 Sep 1992 Cardiff 2:32:42 Dewi Jones-2
15 Sep 1991 Cardiff 2:29:04 Jeremy Collins
16 Sep 1990 Cardiff 2:29:51 Dewi Jones
10 Sep 1989 Anglesey 2:22:02 Ieuan Ellis-2
18 Sep 1988 Anglesey 2:26:45 Tegid Roberts
05 Jul 1987 Bridgend 2:28:02 Richard Evans-2
18 May 1986 Bridgend 2:23:32 Richard Evans
19 May 1985 Bridgend 2:21:37 Stephen Brace
09 Sep 1984 Cardiff 2:20:35 Ieuan Ellis
04 Sep 1983 Neath 2:31:54 Alun Roper
16 May 1982 Neath 2:21:36 Mick Crowell-4
22 Aug 1981 Newport 2:20:06 Mick Crowell-3
16 Aug 1980 Newport 2:24:19 Mick Crowell-2
18 Aug 1979 Newport 2:21:57.8 Mick Crowell
19 Aug 1978 Newport 2:25:07 Alan Joslyn
20 Aug 1977 Newport 2:18:22 Bernard Plain-2
17 Jul 1976 Cwmbran 2:21:43 Robert Sercombe-2
19 Jul 1975 Cwmbran 2:22:02 Robert Sercombe
15 Sep 1974 Cwmbran 2:22:53 Rob Atkinson + Dave Jones
27 Oct 1973 Harlow ENG 2:15:59 Malcolm Thomas
12 Aug 1972 Port Talbot 2:27:35.6 Hedydd Davies-4
14 Aug 1971 Port Talbot 2:20:59.2 Bernard Plain
29 Aug 1970 Carmarthen 2:35:42 Hedydd Davies-3
28 Jun 1969 Cwmbran 2:26:42 Hedydd Davies-2
27 Jul 1968 Cwmbran 2:31:51 Lynn Hughes-2
17 Jun 1967 Carmarthen 2:35:36 Cyril Leigh
16 Jul 1966 Port Talbot 2:31:10 Hedydd Davies
21 Aug 1965 Port Talbot 2:26:46 Lynn Hughes
27 Jun 1964 Port Talbot 2:28:50 Ron Franklin-5
06 Jul 1963 Port Talbot 2:26:12 Ron Franklin-4
21 Jul 1962 Cardiff 2:36:50 Ron Franklin-3
24 Jun 1961 Cardiff 2:31:40 Ron Franklin-2
25 Jun 1960 Cardiff 2:37:13 Ron Franklin
20 Jun 1959 Cardiff 2:35:25 Rhys Davies-3
21 Jun 1958 Cardiff 2:35:29.2 Rhys Davies-2
22 Jun 1957 Cardiff 2:33:51 Rhys Davies
23 Jun 1956 Cardiff 2:44:06 Tom Richards-5
25 Jun 1955 Cardiff 2:35:42 Tom Richards-4
12 Jul 1954 Margam 2:33:01.8 Dyfrig Rees
25 Jul 1953 Cardiff 2:35:02 Tom Richards-3
12 Jul 1952 Margam 2:30:40.6 Tom Richards-2
28 Jul 1951 Margam 2:42:00 Horace Oliver
08 Jul 1950 Margam 2:42:53 Tom Richards
09 Jul 1949 Margam 2:54:00 Ken Thomas
.... not held
05 Aug 1947 Margam 3:28:30 Martin Richards
.... not held
15 Jul 1939 Ammanford 2:45:00 Isaac O'Brien-3
16 Jul 1938 Ammanford 2:58:23 Isaac O'Brien-2
10 Jul 1937 Ammanford 3:03:45.8 Isaac O'Brien
27 Jun 1936 Newport 3:26:11 Dennis Morgan
08 Aug 1935 Newport 3:26:15 J H Overton
14 Jul 1934 Pyle 2:50:00 Wilfred Short
Women (30 runnings)
17 Apr 2011 London 2:50:27 Ann-Marie Hutchinson-3
25 Apr 2010 London 2:54:13 Ann-Marie Hutchinson-2
26 Apr 2009 London 2:58:18 Ann-Marie Hutchinson
13 Apr 2008 London 2:51:08 Claire Martin
22 Apr 2007 London 2:57:29 Ann Thomas
24 Sep 2006 Anglesey 3:30:21 Sarah MacIlroy
17 Apr 2005 London 2:59:10 Dinah Cheverton
18 Apr 2004 London 2:33:52 Tracey Morris
01 Jun 2003 Lake Vyrnwy 3:13:56 Julie Scholey
02 Jun 2002 Lake Vyrnwy 4:21:38 Pam Matthews
01 Jul 2001 Lake Vyrnwy 3:10:46 Susan Martin-2
.... not held
31 Oct 1999 Snowdonia 3:10:38 Victoria Perry
25 Oct 1998 Snowdonia 3:24:36 Jo Groves
26 Oct 1997 Snowdonia 3:16:43 Dawn Kenwright
27 Oct 1996 Snowdonia 3:21:47 Victoria Musgrove-2
29 Oct 1995 Snowdonia 3:09:51 Victoria Musgrove
.... not held
13 Sep 1992 Cardiff 3:07:37 Kay Davies-2
15 Sep 1991 Cardiff 3:05:04 Caroline Jones
16 Sep 1990 Cardiff 3:12:57 Kay Davies
10 Sep 1989 Anglesey 3:24:04 Ruth Collishaw
18 Sep 1988 Anglesey 3:31:15 Linda Morrison
05 Jul 1987 Bridgend 3:04:04 Elizabeth Hughes
18 May 1986 Bridgend 3:02:02 Bronwen Smith
19 May 1985 Bridgend 3:15:33 Karen Bowler
09 Sep 1984 Cardiff 3:06:52 Sue Graham
04 Sep 1983 Neath 2:48:59 Susan Martin
16 May 1982 Neath 3:29:14 Betty Norrish-2
22 Aug 1981 Newport 3:02:02 Chris Barrett
.... no entrants
18 Aug 1979 Newport 3:29:42 Betty Norrish
.... no entrants
20 Aug 1977 Newport 3:23:20 Linda Lamonby