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Weekend Round-Up (25-28 April 2025)
28/04/2025 00:00, In Blog /
DIAMOND LEAGUE – XIAMEN, CHINA, APRIL 26
World Indoor 60m champion Jeremiah Azu (Cardiff Athletics) opened his outdoor season in China on Saturday – taking the scalp of a former World 100m champion in the process.
Having enjoyed a spectacular indoor season, culminating in the world title in Nanjing, Azu returned to China for the opening meeting of the Diamond League season in Xiamen.
Wales’s fastest man finished third in 10.17, edging 2019 world champion Christian Coleman, of the United States, into fourth place.
The race was won by South Africa’s 2018 Commonwealth Games champion Akani Simbine in 9.99. Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala was second in 10.13.
TCS LONDON MINI MARATHON – APRIL 26
A strong Welsh team travelled to London to take part in the mini-marathon races on Saturday and returned with a number of medals.
Previous winners of the mini-marathon include Wales’ Triathlon World Series winner Non Stanford.
Others to have taken part during the event’s 40 year history include British distance legend Sir Mo Farah and Paris Olympic 800m gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson.
Leading the way for the Welsh team on Saturday was National Development Programme T53/54 athlete Toby Richardson (Yate and District AC) who won the Under-17 men’s wheelchair race.
A delighted Richardson said afterwards:
Incredible. I’m very shocked and surprised and I am happy with the win.
I’m glad I had all my family members watching as well. I did the Mini before and came fourth, that gave me motivation to come back and win it so I am very happy.
There was also a gold medal in the under-13 girls T33/34 wheelchair race where Imogen Ashell-Rice (Newport Harriers) took the win.
And Fletcher Roberts (Brighton Phoenix) made it a hat-trick of Welsh individual wins in the under-15 T61/64 or lower limb disability ambulant category.
There was a second place finish for Osian Phillips (Cardiff Athletics) in the boys under-13 race where he was followed home in third by Oliver Cobbold (Swansea Harriers). The podium places helped the Welsh under-13 squad to take the team gold medal.
There was a fourth place finish for the Wales under-13 girls team with Alesha Santos (Rhondda AAC) and Gwen Hayes (Deeside AAC) finishing 11th and 12th respectively.
The under-15 boys placed 10th with Osian Parry (Menai Track and Field) 24th, while the under-15 girls team was 8th with Bryony Boyce (Cardiff Athletics) placing 10th.
The under-17 girls were 7th with Millie Gold (Swansea Harriers) finishing 7th individually. The under-17 boys were 11th with Thomas Loynes (Neath Harriers) placing 36th.
CAMPENATO ESPANA CLUBES DH MUJERES LIGA IBERDROLA JA – MADRID, APRIL 26
Angharad Davies (Carmarthen Harriers/Cueva de Nerja) enjoyed two wins in Madrid on Saturday.
Davies won the 1500m in 4:37.90 before going on to triumph in the 3,000m, taking the win in 9:40.91.
SATURDAY THROWS LEAGUE 1 – ABERDARE, APRIL 26
The Saturday Throws League saw some illustrious names taking part in the opening meeting of the season.
In the discus, the World Para Athletics F38 shot put silver medallist Michael Jenkins (Swansea Harriers) took the win with a best of 57.49m in the final round. Second place went to 2012 Olympian Brett Morse with a best of 53.26m.
Richard Dangerfield (Cardiff Athletics) won the javelin with a best of 54.53m, while clubmate and National Development Programme athlete Evie Cooper won the hammer competition with 49.57m.
In the seated shot put, Kieran Jones (DSW Para Athletics claimed the win with a throw of 8.50m ahead of Jac Sheehan (Carmarthen Harriers) with 7.91m. Sheehan won the seated discus with a best of 21.16m.
Ben Bowen (Carmarthen Athletics) won the shot put with 10.36m, while Hollie Weaver (Rhondda AAC) was the top placed female athlete with 10.04m.
WEST SUFFOLK STEEPLECHASE, WALKS AND ENDURANCE FESTIVAL – BURY ST EDMUNDS – APRIL 26
Henry Evans (Newport Harriers) produced a brilliant performance in the 3,000m steeplechase.
In only his second steeplechase, Evans took almost 30 seconds of his personal best as he clocked 9:23.12 to go second in the current UK under-20 standings for 2025.
A number of Regional Development Programme steeplechase and race walk athletes also recorded PBs.
HOSPICE OF THE VALLEYS SIX MILE RACE 2025 – TREDEGAR
The Hospice of the Valleys Six Mile race was held in the beautiful grounds of Parc Bryn Bach.
The winner of the senior men’s six miler was Oliver Price (Pontypridd Roadents), who completed the course in 36:06. Second place went to Ryan Worlock-Morgan in 36:27 with Gareth Knight (Griffithstown Harriers) third in 38:44.
The women’s race was won by Ewelina Ciesielska (Parc Bryn Bach), who also finished sixth overall in a time of 40:49. Kimberley Price (Parc Bryn Bach) was second in 41:27 and Beth Jones (Parc Bryn Bach) third in 42:41.
The winners in the junior one mile race were Ted Lancaster and Betty Lancaster.
ADIDAS MANCHESTER MARATHON – APRIL 27
While most of the national and international attention may have been focussed on the London Marathon being held on the same day, Welsh athletes were claiming the limelight in front of huge crowds at the Manchester Marathon on Sunday.
Josh Griffiths (Swansea Harriers), who strode into the international athletics spotlight at the London Marathon in 2017, took the win in the men’s race while Olivia Tsim (Pontypridd Roadents) finished second in the women’s race on her marathon debut.
Griffiths, who earned a place on the GB team at the 2017 World Championships due to his breakout performance in London earlier that year, took the honours in the men’s race in Manchester, breaking the tape in 2:16.56.
Meanwhile, Tsim produced a brilliant run to finish second as she posted 2:35.43 at her first attempt over the 26.2mile distance and just seven months after the birth of her daughter. The race was won by Tessa McCormick (Vale Royal AC) in 2:34.53.
Sioned Howells (Swansea Harriers) finishd seventh in 2:46:29, narrowly outside her P.B.
Around 36,000 athletes took part in the Manchester event, which is second only in size to the London Marathon in the UK.
HAPSA HAMBURG MARATHON – APRIL 27
Welsh Athletics Performance Programme athlete Natasha Wilson (nee Cockram) continued her return to fitness with an impressive performance in Germany.
Wilson, who represented Wales at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, clocked her second fastest marathon time ever as she returned to the distance after what has been a difficult spell of injury.
Finishing seventh overall in a strong international field, the former Welsh marathon record holder crossed the line in 2:27.12 as the first European finisher in the race. The winner was Workenesh Edesa (Ethiopia), who clocked 2:17.55.
TCS LONDON MARATHON – APRIL 27
The TCS London Marathon hosted both the British and Welsh Marathon Championships on a Sunny Sunday morning.
Nicholas Coyle (Stroud & District AC) was the highest placed Welsh finisher, placing 65th in the mass race and claiming the Welsh title as some 57,000 runners of all ages and abilities took to the streets of London.
Pontypridd Roadents athlete Jake Smith, who represents England, finished 16th overall in 2:11.57 in the elite men’s race and was the fourth British athlete to finish.
In the women’s field, Emily Marchant (Swansea Harriers) was the highest placed Welsh finisher. Competing in the mass women’s race, Marchant, finished 11th, clocking 2:38.47.
Among the other Welsh finishers, Louise Flynn (Les Croupiers) clocked 2:44.35, while Donna Morris (Builth and District Running Club) crossed the line in 2:46.29.
Welsh Championship Results;
Men
|
1 |
Nicholas Coyle |
Stroud & District AC |
2:24:55 |
|
2 |
Chris Thomas |
Thames Valley Harriers |
2:30:00 |
|
3 |
David Cole |
Carmarthen & District Harriers |
2:32:05 |
Women
|
1 |
Emily Marchant |
Swansea Harriers |
2:38:47 |
|
2 |
Louise Flynn |
Les Croupiers RC |
2:44:35 |
|
3 |
Donna Morris |
Builth & District RC |
2:46:29 |
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