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19/03/2022 00:00, I Mewn Blog / Cross Country / School News /

SIAB Welsh Team Preview

The 2022 SIAB Cross Country Championships are taking place this weekend, March 26th, at Pembrey Country Park. Using a new undulating and challenging course, the competition is set to be strong between the International Schools Teams, from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

A course map for the event can be found here, whilst the timetable and Welsh team selection can be found here.

Welsh Schools Team Preview: 

Junior Girls :

Libby Hale was recently crowned the overall British Cross Challenge winner and will look to feature at the front of this race. Having won the the Welsh Schools and the Welsh National cross, the Swansea athlete will look to end her fine season on top of the podium. Mille Gold (Cardiff) will look to feature at the front too, coming second to Hale the Welsh Schools. It is likely that these girls will be challeneged over the 3,000m course by English Schools Champion Shaikira King, Scottish Champion Fraya Campbell and Irish Champion Niamh Garvy. Isabella Waugh is also likely to be inthe mix aftr winning the English National Cross Country Chmapionships.

Junior Boys :

Joshua Sanders (Cardiff) won the Welsh Schools Championships and will look to be at the head of the race. Miguel Jenkins (Menai) was second in that race and will look to challenge for a podium spot too. It is hard to look past Jake Meyburgh from England, the current English Nartional Champion, Inter Counties Champion and Schools Champion - as he will be looking to keep his winning streak going. Sean Corry and James Wotherspoon will also likely to feature, coming into the race with strong wins in their school races.

Middle Girls :

Jess Bailey has been on a roll this season, and will look to continue to do so this weekend. The English School Champion also won Inter counties the other week so is in very good form. Beca Brown (Menai) reigned champion at both the Welsh Schools and the Welsh National Cross and will be looking to continue this streak this weekend. It is likely she will be challenged by Cara Scott (Menai) as she battles for a place at the top of the podium. Lucy Foster of Scotland and Esme Dougall of Ireland will also look to feature at the head of the race.

Middle Boys :

Over the 6,000m course, Brandon Pye will look to repeat his winning ways, after beting James Dargan at the English Championships. Iwan Thomas (Carmarthen) won the Welsh Schools Championships and Aled Breeze (Maldwyn) was second. These two will look to replicate this again this weekend as they race the top middle boys in the country. It is unlikely that they will have it all their own way as Lughaidh Mallon and Craig Shennan are also coming into the race in fantastic form and with winning streaks that they would like to continue.

Middle Mixed Relays :

The mixed relays looks to be an exciting race with Jack Organ (Powys), Kobe Beltran (Cardiff), Cari Griffiths (South East Wales), and Bethan Hardman (Cardiff) passing the baton on for the Welsh Schools team. The English team will be lead by Scarlett Livengstone who finished 9th in the English Championships, as they will look to take down Wales, Scotland and Ireland. 

Junior Mixed Relays :

Brother of Kobe, Kerby Beltran (Cardiff) goes in the junior relay, where he is joined by Joe Edwards (Powys), Mali Phillips (Cardiff) and Ava Davies (Afan Nedd Tawe) as they seek to finish on top of the podium.Form is a little unknown as to how the teams will run as a team, but the English team is looking strong, lead by Eva Jha. It is hard to discount the Scottish and Irish team, with athletes such as Erin Gray and Liam Morris included in the squads. It will be an exciting battle over 4 x 1500m! 

Full start lists for the event can be found here.