Newyddion

24/02/2026 00:00, I Mewn Blog /

For the top schools’ cross-country runners in Wales, all roads lead to Brecon on Wednesday 25 February, when the Penlan playing fields are again the venue for the Welsh Schools’ National cross-country championships. This will be the 63rd time for the event to be staged.

Welsh Schools will again use a midweek date this year. Following the event teams will be selected to represent WSAA at the SIAB Cross Country to be held at home in the Faenol Estate, in North Wales on Saturday 21 March. The selection meeting is due to take place on Friday 27 February.

The event will use the same course as the last two years, subject to underfoot conditions on the day, which proved popular with athletes, parents and coaches and is slightly more of a traditional cross-country offer. It is also spectator friendly with all parts of the course easily accessible.

Some exciting competitions are anticipated in the eight-race programme, particularly in the junior and middle sections, in which selection for the teams to compete at the SIAB schools at North Wales is at stake. This year the SIAB event will again also include a 4x1500m mixed relay for teams of 2 boys and 2 girls in both the junior and middle age groups, this will give the opportunity for additional athletes to experience International competition.

Each of the races will be sure to produce a high level of competition for individual medals as well, with many of those who competed with distinction at the recent Leagues and Welsh Cross Country Championships at Cardiff in action, with different two year age groupings to those events, predicting who will be towards the front of the fields in each race is more challenging.

The Junior Girls will get the event started at 1pm, this is one of the most competitive contests of the day with runners to look out for, including Lily Chapple (Dwr Y Felin) Afan Nedd Tawe, Alesha Santos (Bryntirion) Glamorgan Valleys and twins Gwen & Ella Hayes (Myddleton) North East Wales.

Our Junior Boys race this time may well see front runners of Jacob Moss (Bishop of Llandaf), Zac Munn (Glantaf) Cardiff & the Vale, Lewis Durston (Bryntirion) Glamorgan Valleys, Oliver Cobbold (Bishopston) Afan Nedd Tawe and Tomas Cai Davies (Bro Myrddin) Dyfed all anticipated to be in the mix — another race where it is difficult to pick a winner.

The next race is a little easier to call when the Senior Girls get underway (1:40pm), this looks to be a five way battle between Holly Humphreys (Gwyr) Afan Nedd Tawe, Rebeca Harries (Pentcoedtre High), Millie Pierce (Olchfa) Afan Nedd Tawe, Millie Gold (St David’s College) and Maddie Hughes (Welshpool) Powys.

The Year 7 races, which follow are likely to produce some surprises in wide open races and see some new names coming to the fore. Perhaps two to watch are Year 7 Girl Molly-Mae Mcqueen (Dylan Thomas) Afan Nedd Tawe and in the Boys race Rowan Carson (Ysgol Garth Olwg).

The Senior Boys race will see a very competitive field, with some of the favourites being Rhys Pladdy (Llanishen) Cardiff & the Vale, Samuel Boyce (Cathedral) Cardiff & the Vale, Miguel Jenkins (Friars) Eryri, and William Chalk (Monmouth) South East Wales all in the mix.

Bryony Boyce (Cathedral) Cardiff & the Vale will start as one of the favourites in the Middle Girls. Amongst her challengers are likely to be Nansi Griffiths (Greenhill) Dyfed, Heather Watson (Hawarden) North East Wales, Martha Bown (Bodedern) Eryri and Sali Owen (Penweddig) Dyfed.

The final race of the day will see the Middle boys go head to head, this again is a difficult one to call with Nate Greig (Bryntirion) Glamorgan Valleys, Osian Parry (David Hughes) Eryri, Jack Griffiths (Olchfa) Afan Nedd Tawe, Macsen Watts (Gwynllyw) South East Wales, Tom Garrod (Rougemont) South East Wales and Zac Cambell (Darland) North East Wales, will all be looking for podium places.

Good luck to all the pupils competing.

EVENT INFORMATION

IMPORANT NOTICE!

Ample parking is available at Brecon High School and further parking is available at Brecon Leisure Centre. Both are only a short walk from the venue. Please do not drive directly to the small car park at the entrance to the Track and please do not park in the layby at the entrance to the Athletics Track. This area is reserved for Team Coaches.

Additionally, Please do not park on the grass verges along Cerrigcochion Road, outside the entrance to the track - Vehicles may be booked if they do so.