Doug Turner out of Retirement for Welsh Championships

Doug Turner - who hung up his spikes in 2002 - is expected to come out of retirement to appear in the 100m line-up.

Now 41, he stormed home to a silver medal in the 1998 European Championships and a 4 x 400m Commonwealth Games bronze in the same year. He will find himself pitted against Commonwealth Games silver medalist Chris Baillie of Scotland who has relocated to Cardiff to train under Wales’ National Sprint Hurdles coach Bengt-Erik Blomkvist.

Matt Elias - who has struggled with injury in recent years – is also making a return to the start-sheets. He is listed in the 400m line-up.

Former 400m man Jamie Baulch – now on the Board of Directors for Welsh Athletics – believes the return of Turner and Elias speaks volumes for the event:

“These athletes have turned in some great achievements in the past – let’s hope they can do the same this weekend. We’ve got some big names entered for Sunday which goes to show that it really is a good event to race in. The fact that they want to come back and compete says a lot. You never know, maybe I won’t be sitting in the stands next year!”

The 200m will see two Olympic hopefuls go head to head. Christian Malcolm is on the billing alongside hurdler Rhys Williams who will be making a rare appearance over the distance. They will also be joined by the rapidly improving Bruce Tasker of Carmarthen who has already set a new personal best this year.

Matt Newman from Welsh Athletics explained: “The field is very strong this year which makes the event a must-see for athletics fans, especially in the lead up to the trials for the Beijing Games.

“Not only will we see Olympic hopefuls such as Rhys and Christian but also up and coming talents who will be aiming to make their mark. Athletics in Wales has a long and illustrious history but the future is looking equally bright with emerging talents across a number of disciplines.”

John McFall is one of those athletes who looks as if he has secured his ticket to Beijing. The amputee sprinter has medal aspirations at the Paralympic Games and is lining up in the women’s 100m on Sunday. While some may find it unusual for the Cardiff runner to test himself against the females, he believes it will provide him with an opportunity to gain experience as well as race sharpness ahead of the Games in September:

“It’s a good level of competition for me. There will be a full field of athletes of a similar standard. I expect them to be quicker than me but it will be a good race of that speed. Able bodied athletes tend to get out of the blocks that much quicker so it’ll be good to be racing under that sort of pressure.”

Philippa Roles also has Beijing in her sights. Having achieved the A qualification standard on one occasion already, she will be looking to reach the mark again to further her case for Olympic selection.

Fresh from breaking the Welsh hammer throw record, Carys Parry will also be appearing. The Commonwealth Games finalist from Church Village in the Rhondda Valley threw 66.31 last weekend, overtaking the previous standard set by Lesley Brannan in 2006. She is now third in the all-time Great Britain list behind Lorraine Shaw and Shirley Webb.

Penarth’s Brett Morse is also out to affirm his rising star credentials. The Cardiff student is certainly a name to note for the future. Currently ranked third in the world for discus, he is hoping to earn selection to the World Junior Athletics Championships (8-13 July 2008) in the city of Bydgoszcz in Northern Poland.

The Welsh Seniors will be an important warm-up for the athlete who also excels in shot:

“I always love competing at the Welsh Seniors – it’s my National Championships. I am going all out for a second title in shot and a third title in discus. The event is an important one in our calendar as you see young athletes gaining experience. It’s a serious competition where younger talents can rub shoulders with athletes who are making international teams.”

English high jumper Ben Challenger will be going up against Rob Mitchell who hails from Swansea. Challenger – who considered a career in basketball after receiving offers from NBA talent scouts – won bronze at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

For more information, please contact Jane Williams at Welsh Athletics on 029 2033 8274

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