Newyddion
Weekend Round-up (30-31 August 2025)
01/09/2025 00:00, I Mewn Blog /
WANDA DIAMOND LEAGUE FINAL – ZURICH, AUGUST 28
Jeremiah Azu warmed up for the forthcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo by finishing fourth in the Diamond League 100m final.
The Cardiff Athletics sprinter clocked 10.03 at the showpiece final in Switzerland, which was won by American Christian Coleman, who claimed his third Diamond League title in 9.97.
Azu said afterwards:
I’m happy, I always want more. But I’ll take it. It’s a positive race – the last one before Worlds. To be competitive like that is pretty decent. I think as sprinters we always want more, we always want to win.
To be a couple of hundredths off first place is not the worst. I always expect more from myself but I’m happy with the race to be honest.
Azu will now turn his attention to next week’s World Champs in Tokyo, where he is due to be joined by fellow Welsh athletes Hannah Brier (Swansea Harriers), Melissa Courtney-Bryant (Poole AC) and Abi Pawlett (Trafford).
We leave on Monday, so literally get back tomorrow, we fly home around mid-day. Get a quick session on Saturday, Sunday in church and then Monday straight over to Tokyo.
HOKA UTMB MONT BLANC 2025 OCC – AUGUST 28
Multi-talented endurance athlete Kris Jones (Swansea Harriers) finished fifth in the Orsières-Champex-Chamonix (OCC) trail running race at Chamonix in France.
The HOKA athlete completed the 61km course, which had an elevation of 3,400m, in 5:05.50. The race was won by Jim Walmsley (United States) in 5:00.35.
MYNYDDISLWYN MURDER MILE 2025 – CROSS KEYS, AUGUST 29
Renowned as one of the toughest uphill miles in the country, the Mynyddislwyn Murder Mile once again attracted a large entry on Friday night.
The first male runner to complete the climb was Tomos Black (Pontypridd), who stopped the clock in 8:29. Second was Jonathan Ford (Fairwater) in 8:36 with Dafydd Jay (Swansea) third in 8:39.
The women’s race was won by Ceri Merwood (CDF) in a new course record of 9:17 ahead of Lola Simpson (Bristol and West) in 10:07 and Darcy Simpson in 10:35.
SPORTSSHOES HOME NATIONS 5K (INCORPORATING THE UK 5K CHAMPIONSHIPS) – CARDIFF, AUGUST 30
Some of the best athletes from around the UK took part in the Sportshoes Home Nations 5k at Bute Park on a night peppered with heavy showers.
The 4th edition of the event supported by Nike saw teams from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland take on the best composite teams from around the country. The 2025 event also hosted the UK 5km Championships.
The elite men’s race was won by Jack Rowe (Birch Hill Track Club) in a brilliant new Welsh all-comers record of 13:31.9.
The early stages of the race saw Commonwealth Games marathoner Dewi Griffiths (Swansea Harriers) at the front of the field, but he suffered a heavy fall after being clipped from behind.
Despite the tumble, Griffiths, who was representing the Sportshoes Nike composite team, managed to place 15th in 14:17.6, just behind the first Welsh finisher Owen Huw Roberts (Meirionnydd Running Club), who clocked 14:12.6.
The first of the official Welsh team to finish was James Heneghan (Pontypridd Roadents), who was 19th in 14:21.1. The remaining Welsh finishers were Dan Nash (Pontypridd Roadents) in 14:29.8, Jonathan Butler (Swansea Harriers) in 14:34.6 and Samuel Roberts (Retford AC) in 14:50.1
The elite women’s race which started in heavy rain was won by Alexandra Bell, who crossed the line in 15:46.7.
The first Welsh athlete home was Olivia Tsim (Pontypridd Roadents) who was representing the Sportshoes Nike composite team. Tsim crossed the line in 11th place in 16:29.0.
The first member of the Welsh team to finish was Alaw Beynon Evans (Les Croupiers), who clocked 17:07.2 in 29th place. The other Welsh team finishers were Rhiannon Paton (Westbury) in 17:10.0 and Kayley Price (Newport Harriers) in 17:38.2.
The evening also featured a number of other seeded races, which attracted fields from across the UK.
MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL – SPORTCITY, AUGUST 30
There was a Welsh clean sweep in the para ambulant discus challenger event at the annual Manchester International.
National Development Programme F44 thrower Bree Cronin (Cardiff Athletics) took the top spot with a fifth round throw of 36.73m, which brought her 882 RAZA points.
Until then, her Cardiff clubmate and Paralympian Funmi Oduwaiye, had held the lead with two efforts of 34.64m for 817 points.
There was a third placed finish and a new PB for F63 Commonwealth Games athlete Julie Rogers (Bedford and County) who registered 23.32m for 661 RAZA points.
There was a thrilling win for Wales in the mixed 4x400m relay in a new record time of 3:26.26 ahead of England.
Olivia Breen (City of Portsmouth) continued her preparations for the World Para Athletics Championships in India, with a win in the para ambulant long jump challenger event.
The Commonwealth Games gold medallist won with a best jump of 4.70m, which brough her 848 RAZA points.
Breen also finished second in the para ambulant 100m challenger final in 13.12 for 909 RAZA points.
Jonathan Knox (Coventry Godiva) enjoyed a comfortable win in the 400m open final where he registered 48.75 to finish almost a second and a half ahead of his nearest rival.
Tom Walley (Wrexham AC) continued the excellent form he showed in claiming a metal at the UK Championships by winning the pole vault challenger final with a best height to 4.95m.
There was a second place for Welsh Athletics Transition Programme T11 sprinter James Ledger (Swansea Harriers), who clocked a wind-assisted 11.58 for 827 RAZA points.
F56 thrower Ellie Bowen (Cardiff Archers) produced a first round throw of 5.76m which brought her a second place finish in the seated shot put challenger event.
The men’s seated shot saw NDP athlete Kieran Jones (DSW Para Athletics) finish third with a best of 8.43m which brought 517 RAZA points with fellow NDP thrower Jac Sheehan (Carmarthen Harriers) fourth with a new PB of 8.20m for 478 RAZA points.
National Development Programme T37 athlete Tomi Roberts-Jones (Newport Harriers) was seventh with 13.44 and 349 RAZA points.
Welsh NDP Under-23 athlete Amelia Fettis (Loughborough Students AC) finished sixth against an all senior line-up in the hammer challenger event with a best of 52.12m.
BE FIT FOR TODAY TRACK ACADEMY – LEE VALLEY, AUGUST 30
A number of Welsh athletes shone at the BFTTA Open at Lee Valley on Saturday.
Sam Gordon (Cardiff Athletics) was in fine form as he produced an excellent run to finish second in his first round heat in 10.29 – just outside his PB of 10.24 set in 2022.
And Gordon went even closer to claiming a lifetime best in his second round top seeded heat where he finished fifth in 10.27.
Welsh Athletics Transition Programme sprinter Lewis Stephens (Cardiff Athletics) also narrowly missed out on a new PB in London.
Stephens, whose season has been disrupted by injury, ran 10.49 as he finished sixth in his first round first heat and eighth in his second heat in a wind assisted 10.47.
Training partner Alex Azu (Cardiff Athletics) was fourth in his first round heat in 10.53 before going even faster in the second round where he clocked 10.46 – albeit with a +2.7ms wind behind him.
Welsh Athletics NDP athlete Finnley Roynon (Cwmbran Harriers) was denied a new PB by an illegal tailwind as he ran 10.80 to finish fourth in the first round.
But the under-17 athlete didn’t have to wait long as he once again ran 10.80 in the second round, this time with a legal wind reading.
Tawande Sithole (Cardiff Athletics) finished third in his heat in a wind-assisted 11.37.
In the women’s 400m heats, Evie Aitchison (Neath Harriers) was sixth in 1:01.27.
MIDLAND COUNTIES LEAGUE DIVISION TWO – YATE, AUGUST 31
National Development Programme wheelchair athletes Toby Richardson (Yate and District AC) and Owen Terrell (Newport Harriers) competed in the Midlands League on Sunday.
Richardson was victorious over both 200m and 1500m races, clocking 32.00 over 200m and 4:08 over 1500m.
Terrell was second over both distances, stopping the clock in 44.00 and 4:26 respectively.
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Photo Credit - Bill Scriven