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2023 Welsh U13 / U17 / U20 Championships Preview
11/08/2023 00:00, I Mewn Blog / Club Notice Board / Track & Field /
This weekend will see the Welsh U13 / U17 / U20 Track & Field Championships take place. Over 450 athletes will compete over the weekend of competition in Newport Stadium.
A number of Championship Best Performances were set at last year’s edition, and with several Welsh Record holders taking to the track and field, it is set to be a great weekend of competition.
The weekend will also see several recently crowned U15 Welsh Champions step up an age group to compete, whilst this year’s reigning indoor U13, U17, and U20 Champions will be hoping to do the double. The weekend will get underway with the U17 women's 300m hurdles on the track and the U13 boy's shot put on the field on Saturday.
There is a strong field in the 100m races. In the women’s U17 race Nell Desir (Cardiff Archers), the reigning Champion will be hoping to retain her title. She will be joined by Jessica Mantle (Cardiff Athletics) who represented Wales at the Loughborough International earlier this year. The 2023 Welsh U15 100m Champion Aliyah Afolabi (Cardiff Archers) will be stepping up the age group to compete.
In the men’s U20 100m, Welsh U20 60m indoor champion Callum Webb (Cardiff Archers) will take to the track, he will be joined by Transition Programme Athlete and fellow Cardiff Archer, Jac Patterson.
A competitive field in the U17 men’s long jump will see Welsh Record holder Luca Phillips (Cardiff Archers) take on Ben Parker (Aberdare Valley) go head-to-head. Both athletes have jumped 7+ metres this season, with Phillips breaking Marcus Browning’s record from 1986 by 4cm.
After extending her own Welsh Record at the Welsh Senior & U15 Championships, Libby Hale (Swansea Harriers) will be hoping to add the U17 1500m Welsh title to her 2023 tally.
In the throws event, reigning indoor shot-put champion Matilda Quick (Swansea Harriers) will be hoping to secure the outdoor title in the women’s U17 shot put.
After setting a Championship Best Performance at the Welsh Senior & U15 Championships in June in the girl's U15 shot put, Evie Cooper (Neath) will compete in the women’s U17 hammer throw. After winning the U15 Welsh title and Welsh Schools title, Cooper could add a third to this year’s collection.
Welsh Senior bronze medallist in the shot-put, Dafydd Pawlett (Yate & District) will take to the field in the men’s U20 shot put. Pawlett claimed the Welsh U20 indoor title earlier this year.