Newyddion
Weekend Round-Up (19-20 July 2025)
21/07/2025 00:00, I Mewn Blog /
EUROPEAN UNDER-23 CHAMPIONSHIPS – BERGEN, JULY 17-22
Welsh Athletics Performance Pathway athletes Justin Davies and Abigail Pawlett both won their first major medals for Great Britain with silvers in the men’s 800m and women’s heptathlon respectively in Norway.
Davies’ lunge for the line in the 800m final secured him second place, with a time of 1:44.97, just 0.01 seconds ahead of Giovanni Lazzaro of Italy in third. Gold went to Niels Laros (Netherlands) in 1:44.36.
The Team Bath athlete said afterwards:
This one really hasn’t sunk in, I don’t think it will sink in for a while.
I went into it just wanting to do my best effort, and whatever that was would be good enough.
In the back of my mind, I knew there was a chance I could get a medal . . . I thought, what the hell, just give it my best shot, try and play it as smart as possible and see what happens.
Getting the silver medal is more than I could have ever hoped for coming into these championships.”
Davies had cruised into the final thanks to a commanding run from the front in his heat – winning in 1:46.67 to clinch an automatic qualifying place.
In clinching her silver medal Pawlett (Trafford) set a new personal best and a new Welsh record with a score of 6,320 – 243 points behind Saga Vanninen, who set a championship record.
On the second day of competition, Pawlett posted the fourth-best long jump effort with 6.21m and a season’s best javelin throw of 40.67m before finishing off her competition with the fifth-best 800m time of 2:17.51 to comfortably finish second overall.
Afterwards, Pawlett, who is enjoying an outstanding year, said:
I’m tired, but I am so happy.
I can’t even put it into words, it just feels like a really long time coming, and I have finally been able to prove myself on the European stage and the international stage. I’m over the moon.”
Pawlett had enjoyed an impressive first day, opening her campaign with 13.06 in the 100m hurdles – just outside her PB. She then posted a height of 1.71m in the high jump
A new PB of 14.53m in the shot put and an excellent 23.23 in the 200m, meant Pawlett ended the day in second place with 3,867 – just three points off the lead and setting up her chance of a medal which she took with both hands.
SMALL ISLAND GAMES – ORKNEY, JULY 18
Beca Bown, representing Ynys Môn, finished fourth in the 800m at the Small Island Games on Orkney on Friday.
Earlier in the week, Bown (Menai Track and Field) won the 1500m gold in a time of 4:34.85.
LONDON ATHLETICS MEET - WANDA DIAMOND LEAGUE – JULY 19.
Seven Welsh athletes took to the track in front of a 60,000 sell-out at the London Stadium on Saturday.
Leading the way was World Indoor 60m champion Jeremiah Azu (Cardiff Athletics) who lined up in the Diamond League 100m race and was part of Great Britain’s team in the 4x100m.
In the relay, Azu reprised his role from last year’s Paris Olympics where he ran the opening leg as Great Britain won a bronze medal.
Once again Wales’ fastest man over 100m gave the GB quartet a flying start, with the fastest reaction time in the race, before handing over to team-mate Louis Hinchcliffe.
British record holder Zharnel Hughes brought GB home in a new season’s best of 38.08 in second place behind Jamaica, who won in 37.80.
Later in an action-packed afternoon, Azu took to the blocks in a star-studded individual 100m, including the likes of American sprinting superstar Noah Lyles.
The race was won by Jamaica’s Seville Oblique in 9.86 ahead of Lyles, while Azu recorded his second-fastest time of the season with 10.11.
The women’s 4x100m saw Nell Desir (Cardiff Archers) take her place in the GB 2 team.
Like Azu, Desir took the opening leg where she was up against the likes of Dina Asher-Smith who led out the GB1 team.
Desir gave her quartet a solid start as they posted a time of 43.92 to finish 6th, while the GB1 team claimed victory in a world lead of 41.69.
Birmingham Commonwealth Games 100m gold medallist Olivia Breen (City of Portsmouth) lined up in the women’s para 100m.
The T38 sprinter produced a strong finish to record a season’s best time of 13.05 as she finished second to Sophie Hahn, who clocked 12.89.
There was a strong Welsh presence in the men’s 400m national race, which featured Olympian Joe Brier (Swansea Harriers), Evan Blackman (Corby) and Reece Middleton (Coventry Godiva).
British Athletics Olympic Podium athlete Brier, finished third in a new season’s best of 46.07, while Blackman was fourth in 46.21 and Middleton eighth in 48.34.
The women’s national 400m featured Welsh duo Hannah Brier (Swansea Harriers) and Tess McHugh (Sale Harriers Manchester).
Commonwealth Games star Brier finished fourth in a season’s best 52.38, while McHugh was sixth in 53.26.
With so many Welsh 400m runners taking part it was fitting to see two legends of the past receiving their 1997 World Athletics Championships gold medals in a special ceremony recognising their elevation from silver following the disqualification of the USA team.
Welsh stars Iwan Thomas and Jamie Baulch, along with team-mates Roger Black, Mark Richardson and Mark Hylton (who ran in the heats) finished second in the final in Athens 27 years ago.
But following an anti-doping violation by USA’s Antonio Pettigrew, the American team was later stripped of the title, and the British quartet were officially upgraded to World Champions.
World Athletics President Seb Coe presented the medals in front of a delighted and packed stadium before the playing of the national anthem.
MEETING MADRID – JULY 19
Issy Boffey (Enfield and Harringay) clocked 2:01.19 in Madrid on Saturday night as she finished 10th in a high quality field.
Earlier in the week, Boffey once again came within a fraction of dipping under the two minute mark when she ran 2:00.25 to finish sixth in Lucerne.
SIAB TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS – DERBY, JULY 19
A strong Welsh team travelled to Derby to compete in the SIAB Track and Field International on Saturday.
Among the highlights of the event was a Welsh one-two for National Development Programme athletes in the intermediate girls’ long jump.
Olivia Scrimshaw (Ysgol Brynhyfryd, North East Wales) claimed gold with a best of 5.91m, while Tiana Odugbesan (Blackwood Comprehensive, South East Wales) won silver with 5.78m.
In the intermediate boys discus, Gethin Brown (Hawarden High School, North East Wales) earned a bronze medal with a best of 54.03m.
The performances by Scrimshaw and Brown earned them the Charlie and Mona Hughes Award which goes to the most meritorious male and female performances at the SIAB event.
Other notable performances included Darcy Coslett (Bryngwyn Comprehensive School, Dyfed) claiming silver in the intermediate girls 300m in 38.54 and Aliyah Afolabi (St Illtyds, Cardiff & The Vale) earning bronze in the 100 in 11.84.
Over the longer distances, Holly Humphreys (Ysgol Gyfyn Gwyr, Afan Nedd Tawe) won bronze in the 1500m in a new PB and NDP consideration standard of 4:30.51 and there was also a bronze for Millie Pierce (Olchfa Comprehensive School, Afan Nedd Tawe) in the steeplechase, clocking 5:05.64.
In the field, there was a bronze medal for Evie Cooper (Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera, Afan Nedd Tawe) with a best of 55.81m.
In the relays, the Welsh intermediate boys teams claimed bronze in both the 4x100m and the 4x400m.
CASTELL HOWELL RAS YR WYDDFA INTERNATIONAL SNOWDON RACE – JULY 19
One of Europe’s toughest endurance challenges, the race involves running from the edge of Lake Padarn in the village of Llanberis to the highest summit in Wales and England and back down.
A strong Welsh team was selected to take part with Eden O’Dea (Deeside AAC) celebrating the highest finish in the women’s race.
O’Dea crossed the line in eighth place, registering a time of 1:26.22. Next home was Catrin Donnelly (Eryri), who was 20th in 1:37.51. Ruth Calcraft (Run Free Fell Runners) was 34th.
In the men’s race, the first Welsh finisher overall was Huw Davies, who placed 16th in 1:16.38. The first Welsh team member home was Gavin Roberts (Calder Valley Fell Runners), placing 19th in 1:18.11. Tom Wood (Eryri) was 22nd in 1:18.5, followed home by Rhys Jones (Rhedwyr Hebog Runners) in 1:19.01. David Lawson (Shettlestone Harriers) was 35th in 1:23.53.
NATIONAL ATHLETICS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP WEST (ROUND 3) – CARDIFF, JULY 19
Swansea Harriers continued their dominance in the NAL Championship West as they secured another match victory at the home of their south Wales rivals Cardiff Athletics.
The league leaders extended their advantage as they racked up 608 points on the day. Hosts Cardiff were second with 559 points and Yeovil Olympiads AC third with 421.50.
Once again, Swansea’s throwers were in good form with serial points gatherer Patrick Swan winning the men’s shot put with a best of 18.10m. Clubmate and World Para Athletics F38 silver medallist Michael Jenkins was second with 17.78m
Jenkins was in fine form as he won the men’s discus with a throw of 56.17m. Meanwhile, 2012 Olympian and 2014 Welsh Commonwealth Games star Brett Morse (Cardiff Athletics) was third with 55.07m. Lucy Harris (Swansea Harriers) won the women’s discus with a best of 40.86m.
Swansea enjoyed a one-two in the men’s high jump where Sam Davies claimed maximum points with a height of 2.07m, with clubmate Evan Cole finishing second with 1.82m.
Meanwhile, Cardiff filled the top two spots in the women’s 100m hurdles as Birmingham Commonwealth Games heptathlete Laren Evans claimed victory in 14.09 ahead of clubmate Katie Chapman in 14.36.
ST SUNDAY SKY RACE – PENRITH, JULY 19
Multi-talented Wales and Great Britain endurance runner Kris Jones (Swansea Harriers) won the St Sunday Sky Race in a course record on Saturday.
The race includes 29km of mountain trails over St Sunday Crag and surrounding Eastern Fells in the Lake District.
The course sees an elevation of 2050m and is full of technical trails with steep ascents, rocky and technical descents and awesome Lakeland mountain trails.
Jones, who has raced internationally across a number of disciplines, including track and road, won in 3:06.23, almost half an hour ahead of his closest rival
RABBIT RUN WALES – MERTHYR MAWR, JULY 19
The event offers stunning 12K, 40K and Junior trail races with the unique opportunity to run on the private grounds of the Merthyr Mawr Estate.
Set on the South Wales coast, the Merthyr Mawr Warren National Nature Reserve is a haven for wildlife and a trail running paradise.
The men’s 12K race was won by Ed Slaughter in 47:49 ahead of James Thie (Pontypridd Roadents) in 48:57. Lewis Munro (Islwyn Running Club) was third in 49:12.
The first female finisher was Antoinette Rose (Lliswerry Runners) who clocked 56:06 to claim the win. Next home was Gemma Luckett (CDF Runners) with 57:19, ahead of Emma Wookey (Lliswerry Runners) in 58:23.
The 41K race was won in comprehensive style by Jacob Tasker who completed the course in 2:44.10 with Charles Tidball (Portishead Running Club) second in 3:18.07 and James Bellin third in 3:19.55.
The first woman home was Justine Dawkins (Cornelly Striders) who claimed the win in 3:47.33. Nia Banfield (Cardiff Archers) was second in 3:50.00. Katie Plimmer was third in 4:06.29.
BE FIT FOR TODAY TRACK ACADEMY OPEN – LEE VALLEY, LONDON – JULY 20
Following the London Athletic Meet the previous day, a number of Welsh athletes took part in the BFTTA Open on Sunday.
They included Nell Desir (Cardiff Archers) who had represented Great Britain in the 4x100m on Saturday. On Sunday, Desir ran 12.12 as she finished fifth in her first round heat.
Also in the female 100m races, under-13 athlete Olivia Thomas (Cardiff Archers) won her first round heat in 12.96. In the second round, Thomas was fifth in 12.95. Under-17 sprinter Hollie Taylor (Cardiff Archers) finished second in her first round heat in 13.21.
In the men’s 100m races, Dewi Hammond (Cardiff Athletics) finished fourth in the top seeded first round heat in 10.58. Hammond went faster in the second round as he finished third in 10.49.
Commonwealth Games T11 medallist James Ledger (Swansea Harriers/DSW Para Academy) finished fourth in his first round heat in 11.83 before going on to finish second in his second round heat in 11.73.
Under-15 athlete Joshua Thomas (Cardiff Archers) claimed a new PB of 11.54 as he finished second in his first round heat. Thomas matched the time finishing sixth in his second round heat.
Jordan Roach (Cardiff Athletics) clocked a fastest time of 12.43 in his second round heat.
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Photo Credit - British Athletics