Newyddion

19/01/2026 00:00, I Mewn Blog /

WELSH INDOOR U-13, U-15, U20 AND PARA TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

DAY ONE

Saturday was a day of close finishes, high-speed head-to-heads and a national age group record.

One of the performances of the entire weekend came in the Under-13 boys 1500m time trials.

Rowan Carson (Bridgend Athletics) produced a textbook display of front running as he smashed Ben Reynolds’ 11-year-old championship and Welsh Age Group record of 4:43.24 by a whisker under three seconds.

The reigning champion, who has been in outstanding form already this year, stopped the clock well ahead of the field in a remarkable 4:40.26.

Elsewhere, it was all about sheer speed as some of Wales’ most promising sprinters took centre stage.

The qualifying rounds of the women’s Under-20 60m were dominated by outstanding National Development Programme under-17 sprinter Aliyah Afolabl (Cardiff Archers) and Great Britain international Nell Desir (Cardiff Archers).

In the much anticipated final, it was under-20 NDP athlete Desir, who took the honours in the 7.52 – just outside her personal best. Afolabi took silver in 7.58, while the Welsh championship bronze went to Elana Murray (Cardiff Athletics) in 7.77.

The men’s Under-20 60m final was won in a personal best of 6.99 by Lewis Ross (Newport Harriers).

In the Under-20 women’s 400m, hugely promising NDP athlete Darcy Coslett (Llanelli AAC) cruised to another Welsh title in 56.15.

Also in the sprints, Jayden Jones (Rhymney Valley) won the Under-13 boys 60m hurdles in a swift 9.64 – just 0.02 seconds outside the Welsh Age Group best and Championship best. Jones also won the long jump with 5.05m.

The ambulant all ages 60m was won by T37 Commonwealth Youth Games competitor Tomi Roberts-Jones (Newport Harriers) in a season’s best 8.45.

In the field, Great Britain discus international and NDP thrower Owen Garret (Yate and District AC) produced a PB of 15.78m to win the Under-20 men’s shot put ahead of William Richards-Baldwin (Gloucester Athletics Club) who celebrated a PB of 13.77m, and a third NDP athlete Lachlan Robbie (Cardiff Archers).

Another NDP athlete Cobie Phillips (Cardiff Archers) enjoyed a productive first day, winning the Under-20 men’s triple jump with a new PB of 13.59m and claiming the bronze medal in the pole vault.

The pole vault was won by Jonathan Mellor (Cardiff Archers), who had three attempts at the championship record at 4.61m, but had to settle for a winning height of 4.51m – a new PB.

Phillips’ brother and fellow NDP athlete Luca Phillips (Cardiff Archers) won the 60m hurdles by equalling his personal best of 8.47.

Another NDP athlete, Thomas Loynes (Neath Harriers) produced an assured display to win the Under-20 men’s 1500m, taking gold in 4:03.12, ahead of Rhys Pladdy (Cardiff Athletics) in 4:08.55.

One of the many thrilling finishes on the first day saw Alesha Santos (Rhondda AC) produce a perfectly timed run to win the Under-15 girls 1500m in the last few strides in a PB of 4:57.35 ahead of Deeside twins Gwen and Ella Hayes who finished second and third in 4:57.75 and 4:58.21 respectively.

Another set of twins to shine on Saturday were the Coote sisters from Cardiff Athletics. Olivia claimed gold in the Under-15 girls 60m hurdles in a new PB of 9.16, while Madison earned silver in 9.43.

DAY TWO

Rowan Carson emulated his record breaking feats in the 1500m the previous day as he won the Under-13 boys 800m time trial on Sunday.

On this occasion he improved his own championship record and Welsh age group record as he completely dominated his heat from gun to tape to clock 2:12.63.

There was another Welsh age group record and championship best in the Under-15 boys 3,000m.

Oliver Cobbold (Swansea Harriers) ran away from the rest of the field to break James Jones’ nine-year-old age group and championship best of 9:25.19 as he crossed the line in 9:24.34 – more than 24 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

The Under-15 girls 3,000m saw Alesha Santos win in 10:44.19 to complete the double after winning the 1500m the previous day.

Sunday’s track action had started with Gold Coast Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Bethan Davies (Cardiff Athletics) continuing her comeback with an impressive display in the Under-17, Under-20 and Senior 3K walk.

Davies broke the tape in 14:01.63 ahead of Under-20 athlete Fraser Higginson (Bridgend Athletics) in 17:15.45 and Under-17 competitor Megan Chantrell (Cardiff Athletics) in 19:17.01.

One of the first field events on Sunday was the seated shot put, which featured a pair of NDP throwers – Jac Sheehan (Carmarthen Athletics) and Kieran Jones (Cardiff Athletics).

Sheehan (F34) took the honours with a best of 8.14m ahead of Jones (F34) with 7.69. F56 thrower Ellie Mai Bowen (Cardiff Archers) won the women’s under-20 event with 5.81m.

NDP thrower Grace Hawker (Cardiff Archers) won the Under-20 women’s shot put with a best of 10.17m.

Brothers Luca and Cobie Phillips continued their successful championships on Sunday as Luca took the Under-20 long jump title with a best of 6.64m, beating Luca into second place by just two centimetres. Fellow NDP athlete Macsen Martin Hughes (Cardiff Archers) was third in the Welsh championship competition with 6.42m.

NDP multi-eventer Tiana Odugbesan (Cardiff Archers) enjoyed a comprehensive win in the Under-20 long jump with a best of 5.76m in the second round.

Meanwhile, Katriel Udoh (Swansea Harriers) followed up her gold in the Under-15 girls 60m on Saturday by winning the long jump on Sunday, with a best of 5.01m.

Rebecca Harries (Cardiff Athletics) was another athlete who completed a golden double on Sunday when she won the women’s 800m Under-20 in a PB of 2:15.96 to add to the 1500m title she won the previous day.

Thomas Loynes missed out on a similar double in the Under-20 men’s events when fellow NDP athlete Lucas Salvage beat him to the Welsh 800m title in 1:56.91.

The weekend’s action ended with a flurry of 200m finals. Amongst the highlights was Dylan Holmes (Cardiff Archers) winning the Under-15 final in 25.24 to bring him his fourth gold medal of a massively successful weekend.

Holmes had already won the triple jump in a PB of 11.25m, the shot put in a PB of 9.45m and the long jump with 5.37m. He also claimed a bronze medal in the 60m.

There was a PB of 27.00 from Lewis Benjamin (Cardiff Athletics) to take the 200m Under-13 boys final and Sienna Hughes (Colwyn Bay AC) took the girls final in a PB of 28.52.

The Under-20 men’s 200m final was won by Dan Gatland (Newport Harriers) in 22.55 from Under-17 athlete Joshau Thomas (Cardiff Archers) in 22.90.

The final gold medal of the championships was won by NDP sprinter Aliyah Afolabi as she comprehensively claimed the Under-20 women’s 200m final in a season’s best 24.40 ahead of Elana Murray (Cardiff Athletics) in 25.48.

RESULTS

Read the full weekend round-up here.