A record number of athletes will descend on Penlan Playing Fields, Brecon on Saturday for the 61st Welsh Schools’ Track and Field Championships. First event is at 11.30 with admission £3 by programme for adults with children free.
Fresh from her silver in the British Championships, British under 20 multi-events international Caryl Granville (Strade – Dyfed) will line-up in the Senior 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles.
Fellow British silver 5000m medalist Dewi Griffiths (Tregib – Dyfed), the only Welsh representative at the World Junior Cross-Country Championships in Edinburgh in the winter, moves down to the 3000m. Dewi, with a best of 8:26.37secs will attack the event record of 8:34.47secs set by 2000 Sydney Olympian Andres Jones in 1996.
Also in the Senior age group, walker Antonio Cirillo (Neath Port Talbot College- Afan Nedd Tawe), winner of the Schools’ International last summer in Newport, has recovered from injury and will be the clear favourite in the 2,000 metres event.
The two outstanding sprinters on view will be Tom Knight (Croesyceiliog – S E Wales) and Rachel Johncock (Dyffryn Conwy – Eryri). Tom won a silver medal at the British Under 17 Indoor Championships during the winter, while Rachel, double Welsh Under 15 sprint champion is ranked 8th in the UK rankings with a best of 12.36secs in the shorter sprint but is as high as third in the 200m metres with a lifetime best of 25.12secs.
Wales have a talented group of hurdlers but the best, David Guest (Bryntirion – Glamorgan Valleys), who set a new Welsh Under 17 age-group record last season in winning the Schools’ International, will miss his favourite event due to a persistent back injury and is due to take part in the pole vault and long jump subject to fitness.
The Junior Girls 75m hurdles will see the appearance of the second fastest in the UK (11.49secs) as Sara Otung (Kings Monkton – Cardiff & Vale) will face once again her closest rivals Stacey Collins (Dwr-y-felin – Afan Nedd Tawe) – 11.58secs and Katie Lewis (Bryntirion – Glamorgan Valleys) – 11.99secs as all three broke the 12-seconds barrier at the recent Welsh age-group championships.
The Middle Girls 80m hurdles will be a classic North v South clash as Welsh Under 17 age-group pole vault record holder Christina Hughes (Mold Alun– N E Wales) will have to be at her best to keep at bay team-mate Megan Rogers (Maelor Penley)- 12.1secs and Catrin Stone (Gwyr – Afan Nedd Tawe). Megan, impressive winner of the Combined Events title in Carmarthen on the weekend, which included two personal bests in the high jump, will also face tough opposition in the 300m hurdles with her closest rival being Ffion Rees (Bro Myrddin – Dyfed) but the North Walian is ranked 5th in the UK with a best of 44.9secs.
In the Junior Girls 800m all eyes will be on the fastest 13-year old in the UK, Lauren Bell (Bro-Gwaun – Dyfed). Her best time of 2:13.47secs is faster than triple Commonwealth Games gold medalist Kristy Wade (McDermott) ran at the same age. The Middle Girls 800m duo of Benita Doman (Gwynllyw – S E Wales), ranked in the top 10 in the UK with a best of 2:11.65, some three seconds faster than the championship best set by McDermott in 1977 and Jade Williams (St Michael’s – Dyfed), who represented Wales in Newport last year, will have to sit and watch as the young pretender will attempt to beat their time.
The Middle Boys and Junior Girls hammer will see the appearance of brother and sister, Rhys and young sister Nia Hodnett (The Cathedral – Cardiff & Vale) as they attempt to retain the family double from last season. The championship best is 55.78m set in 1989 but with a throw of 58.68m already this season, Rhys could be celebrating a triple success.
Also in the hammer Ritchie Wells (Cwmcarn – S E Wales) will be defending his Senior title. With a best of 55.34m already this summer and he will be hoping to extend his championship record which he set last year in winning with a new best of 53.50metres.
The Senior Boys triple jump will see Welsh Senior champion Alex Obiako (Cardiff High – Cardiff & Vale) take on defending champion Adam Williams (Friars – Eryri) which promises to be a thrilling encounter. Alex will attempt to go over the 14metres barrier for the first time legally.
In the Middle Girls pole vault defending champion and meeting record holder (3.30m) Elinor Lewis (Bro Morgannwg - Cardiff a & Vale) will be up against current Welsh age group record holder Christina Hughes who has a best of 3.45metres. The Junior Girls competition will be held in conjunction and Rhianydd Llewellyn (Bryntirion – Glamorgan Valleys) will be keen to improve her Welsh Under 15 age-group record of 3.15m she set earlier in the season.
In the last field event of the day, the Middle Girls high jump, senior Welsh International Hannah Thomas (St Joseph’s – N E Wales) will be up against Sian Swanson (Newtown – Powys) who heads the Welsh ranking list with a best this summer of 1.71metres.
In the Inter-District team competition, Cardiff & Vale will be keen to retain the overall trophy which they took from Dyfed last year, which broke the 10-year dominance of the West Walians.
