Welsh Athletics today kicked off its head-hunting mission for the next big talents.
The governing body for athletics in Wales is aiming to seek out the javelin, discus, hammer and shot stars of tomorrow and today invited pupils from secondary schools in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan to a throwing master class.
Led by former Olympic javelin star Nigel Bevan, the High Performance Coach at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC), schoolchildren were treated to coaching tips at the National Indoor Athletic Centre in Cardiff.
Bevan – who competed at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games - explains, “We want to develop a Welsh development throws squad and we need to seek out the best athletes we can get hold of. We’ve seen a few here today and we’ve put the X Factor against their name! We will be encouraging them to come along to weekly training.”
He adds, “The main aim is to discover a new era of Welsh throwers but, who knows, we might even turn up a future Olympian or World Champion.”
Wales’ most promising hotshots - including discus thrower Brett Morse and javelin talent Lianne Clarke – were on hand to inspire and coach the apprentices:
“The throwing disciplines are in really good hands at Welsh Athletics. We’ve got some excellent coaches on board and we have a number of athletes who are excelling and who are also willing to chip in to nurture new talent,” explains Morse. “I’ve definitely seen a few people here today who have shown talent.”
Welsh Athletics Chief Executive Matt Newman is eager to discover the outcomes of the school search:
“We’re committed to discovering the next generation of talent and I’m looking forward to seeing the results of this coaching session. If it is a success, we will be keen to roll it out to the rest of Wales.”
For more information, please contact Jane Williams at Welsh Athletics Ltd on 029 2033 8274 or email jane.williams@scw.co.uk
