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Weekend Round-up (31 May - 1 June 2025)
02/06/2025 00:00, In Blog /
BIRMINGHAM UNI GOLD STANDARD – MAY 28
Jack Organ (Brecon) was third in the men’s 800m, recording a new personal best of 1.48.58mins. The time gives Organ the European Under-20 qualifying standard.
NCAA EAST FIRST ROUND – JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - MAY 28-31
Gwenno Goode (La Salle) finished fourth in her 3,000m steeplechase heat in 10.01.65 and qualifies for the NCAA finals.
Ben Reynolds (Virginia Tech) finished seventh in his 1500m heat in 3:42.18.
GOTZIS HYPO-MEETING – AUSTRIA, MAY 30-31
Abi Pawlett’s eye-catching performances in individual events this year transferred into her first heptathlon of the season at the world class Gotzis Hypo-meeting in Austria over the weekend.
The Welsh Athletics Performance Programme athlete finished eighth at the prestigious event – improving her own Welsh under-23 and senior heptathlon records with a huge total of 6,315 – adding more than 300 points to her best.
The first day of competition saw the Trafford AC multi-eventer in outstanding form as she started the meeting by once again lowering her 100m hurdles personal best.
At the start of this year, Pawlett’s PB was 13.09. On Saturday, she improved it to 12.94 – just 0.03 seconds outside Kay Morley’s Welsh record - to earn herself 1,133 points.
Next up was the high jump where the 22-year-old registered a best of 1.74m – her best outdoor height since 2021. The effort brought her a further 903 points.
The shot put was Pawlett’s least successful event of the day as she finished 10th overall with a best of 13.46m for 738 points.
However, the Welsh athlete finished the day with a blistering 200m, where she clocked a big new PB of 23.06 to post the fastest time and earn 1,073 points.
That performance saw Pawlett in fourth position overnight on 3,867 points in the competition which was being led by World Athletics Championship silver medallist Anna Hall, of the USA.
If the first day had been a triumph for Pawlett, the second started in equally impressive style in the long jump.
Going into the event with a PB of 6.17, Pawlett shattered that mark with a leap of 6.33m. But she wasn’t finished yet as she extended to 6.42m for a further 981 points. The distance puts her into the top five on the all-time Welsh long-jump list.
A throw of 35.44m in the javelin saw the Ashley Bryant-coached athlete drop down to sixth place overall with just the 800m to come.
Pawlett produced her fourth PB of the competition as she completed the two lap race in 2:15.43 – taking almost five seconds off her previous best, which she set at the same event last year when she finished 11th and was named Rookie of the Meeting.
Pawlett’s total puts her sixth on the all-time British list behind the likes of Katerina Johnson-Thompson, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Denise Lewis.
Hall won the event in a new meeting record and world lead of 7,032.
MUSIC CITY TRACK CARNIVAL – CLEVELAND, TENESSEE, MAY 31
Thomas Chaston (Belgrave Harriers/University of Portland) ran the Glasgow Commonwealth Games B standard for the 3,000m steeplechase in the United States in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The 2025 Welsh Cross Country Championship silver medallist clocked 8:32.66 as he finished second in Cleveland.
The time slashed almost 10 seconds off Chaston’s personal best, which he posted at the Microplus UK Athletics Championships in Manchester last year. The time is the third fastest by a UK athlete this year.
NATIONAL ATHLETICS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP WEST – YEOVIL, MAY 31
Swansea Harriers made a winning start to their National Athletics League campaign, with Cardiff Athletics finishing third in the opening Championship West fixture.
Both Welsh clubs enjoyed some excellent performances as Swansea ran out winners with 585 points ahead of hosts Yeovil Olympiads with 478 and Cardiff who chalked up 428 points.
Among the highlights was the women’s 100m hurdles where two Welsh Commonwealth Games athletes went head to head.
Caryl Granville Moore (Swansea Harriers), who competed at the Gold Coast Games in 2018, came out on top as she won the race in 14.42, ahead of Birmingham 2022 heptathlete Lauren Evans (Cardiff Athletics) who clocked 14.52.
Katie Chapman (Cardiff Athletics) won the second 100m hurdles race in 14.46 and went on to win women’s shot put with 12.04m.
It was a successful afternoon for Granville Moore, who had earlier won the 400m hurdles in 59.49.
There was a similarly high profile clash in the men’s discus where two of Wales’ top para athletes were competing.
World Para Athletics shot put silver medallist Michael Jenkins (Swansea Harriers) won the event with a best of 54.54m ahead of Paris Paralympian Harrison Walsh, who was competing as a guest and registered 52.00.
Another Welsh 2018 Commonwealth Games athlete, Rebecca Chapman (Cardiff Athletics) won the women’s long jump with a best of 5.88m.
The women’s discus witnessed a win for Paris Paralympics competitor Funmi Oduwaiye (Cardiff Athletics). The Great Britain international claimed the victory with a new personal best of 37.66m. Team mate Lily Gregson (Cardiff Athletics) was second with a personal best of 36.48m.
Promising young Welsh Athletics National Development Programme athlete Millie Gold (Swansea Harriers) followed up her excellent performance representing Wales at the Loughborough International by winning the women’s 2000m steeplechase in 7:02.07. Fellow NDP athlete Lucy Bickerton (Yeovil Olympiads) also claimed a PB finishing second in the race with 7:15.29.
In the men’s 800m, there was a win for Edward Davies (Swansea Harriers), who claimed a new personal best 1:53.93.
Nicolas Maczugowski (Cardiff Athletics) also celebrated a new personal best in winning the men’s 400m in 48.71.
Kinga Kudzia (Swansea Harriers) achieved the women’s sprint double winning the 100m in 11.93 and the 200m in 24.30.
And team mate Jenson Morris (Swansea Harriers) claimed a new PB of 22.43 in the men’s 200m. He was also part of the Swansea team which won the 4x100m relay.
UK Indoor Athletics championship medallist Patrick Swan (Swansea Harriers) won the men’s shot put with a best of 17.44m. It was a busy afternoon for Swan who was also second in the hammer, third in the discus and competed in the javelin.
NATIONAL ATHLETICS LEAGUE PREMIERSHIP – ETON, MAY 31
Freya Jones (Harrow AC) followed up her new Welsh javelin record at the Loughborough International by throwing 53.96m to claim full points as her club won the Premiership first round fixture.
Welsh Commonwealth Games athlete and Great Britain international bobsleigh star Adele Nicoll (Birchfield Harriers) won the women’s shot put with a best of 17.36m.
BRITISH MILERS CLUB PB CLASSIC – LOUGHBOROUGH, MAY 31
The BMC PB Classic lived up to it’s name for a number of Welsh athletes on Saturday.
The men’s 1500m B race saw personal bests for Osian Parry (Menai Track and Field) who was third in 4:03.51, Tom Garrod (Newport Harriers) who was fifth in 4:04.33 and Miguel Jenkins (Menai Track and Field), who was sixth in 4:08.72.
Beca Bown (Menai Track and Field) ran a season’s best of 4:41.71 as she finished sixth in the women’s 1500m A race. Meanwhile, clubmate Cara Scott ran a new PB of 4:43.07 as she finished third in the women’s 1500m B race.
Iwan Thomas (Carmarthen Harriers) ran a season’s best 8:38.72 to finish third in the men’s 3,000m A race.
In the men’s 1500m steeplechase A race, William Chalk (Newport Harriers) ran a new personal best of 4:47.55 as he finished second.
Millie Pierce (Swansea Harriers) enjoyed a new PB of 5:10.32 finishing second in the women’s 1500m steeplechase A race.
TY GWYN ABERSOCH 10K – MAY 31
Billed as an “exhilarating race in a stunning part of the world” the race starts in Abersoch and finishes on the village’s picturesque beach.
This year’s race was won by Owen Roberts (Meirionnydd Running Club) who broke the tape in 32:54 ahead of his clubmate Tomos Roberts, who crossed in 33:13. Will Wright was third in 33:56.
The women’s race was won by Emily Meakin in 39:41, who was followed home by Imogen Wharton in 41:03 and Catrin Donnelly (Eryri Harriers) in 43:29.
The male and female 3k race winners were Issac Roe in 11:22 and Evelyn Hodgkinson in 12:04.
PICKERING MEMORIAL THROWS INTERNATIONAL – LOUGHBOROUGH, JUNE 1
A Welsh team travelled to take part in the Pickering Throws International, held in memory of Ron, Jean and Shaun Pickering, who had a huge influence on athletics in Wales.
On his international debut, 16-year-old Gethin Brown (Deeside AAC) threw a new personal best of 56.73m (5kg) in the men’s hammer final.
In the women’s hammer, 20-year-old National Development Programme athlete Amelia Fettis (Newport Harriers) threw 54.76m (4kg) to finish second. While fellow NDP athlete Amelia Mitchell (Neath Harriers), who is aged 16, posted a season’s best 50.01m to finish fourth.
There was a PB of 56.15m for 17-year-old athlete Isaac Bromwich (Deeside AAC) in the men’s javelin (800g).
The men’s discus saw a strong Welsh presence with 20-year-old Transition Programme athlete Michael Jenkins (Swansea Harriers) leading the way as he finished third with a best of 54.85m (2kg).
NDP athletes Owen Garrett (Yate and District AC) and 15-year-old Lachlan Robbie (Cardiff Archers) finished 7th and 9th respectively with distances of 50.91 (1.75kg) and 48.45m (1.5kg) – a PB for Robbie. William Richards-Baldwin (Gloucester AC) was 10th with a PB of 45.43m (1.5kg).
Another NDP athlete – 15-year-old Grace Hawker (Cardiff Archers) earned a PB of 12.60m (3kg) in the women’s shot put final.
The men’s shot saw 21-year-old Alfie Williams (West Norfolk AC) finish 10th with a throw of 14.18m (7.26kg).
In the women’s discus final, NDP athlete 18-year-old Lucy Harris (Swansea Harriers) finished seventh with a best of 42.27m (1kg), while 22-year-old Paris Paralympian Funmi Oduwaiye was ninth with 37.47m (1kg). Eurion John (Cardiff AC) unfortunately failed to record a mark.
GOLDENES OVAL – DRESDEN – JUNE 1
Isabelle Boffey (Enfield and Harringey) continued to chip away at her 800m times this season as she clocked 2:00.64 to finish third in Dresden on Sunday. The time gives Boffey the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 800m B standard.
BE FIT FOR THE FUTURE TRACK ACADEMY OPEN – LONDON, JUNE 1
Some of Wales’ rising young sprinters put in excellent performances on the Lee Valley Track in London on Sunday.
There was a brilliant new personal best for National Development Programme athlete Aliyah Afolabi (Cardiff Archers) as she won her women’s 100m first round heat in a phenomenal 11.68.
In the second round, Afolabi went even faster as she raced to 11.62 finishing seventh in the top seeded heat – putting her top of the under-17 rankings in the UK this season.
Afolabi also ran a new PB in the 200m where she clocked 23.62 – extending her lead at the top of the UK under-17 200m rankings.
Jessica Mantle (Cardiff Athletics) also ran a new PB of 11.76 as she finished second in her first round heat, meanwhile under-20 athlete Nell Desir (Cardiff Archers) clocked 11.71 finish seventh in the top seeded first round heat.
Under-17 athlete Hollie Taylor (Cardiff Archers) ran a new PB of 13.13 in winning her heat in the first round. Taylor also ran 27.12 in the 200m.
In the men’s 100m first round, Zico Jones (Be Fit For Tomorrow Track Academy) was second in his heat in what would have been a big new PB of 10.62, but for an illegal wind reading. Jones also ran 48.85 in his 400m heat.
UK ATHLETICS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE – SWANSEA, JUNE 1
Swansea hosted a Lower Age Group Midland Premier South and West Youth Development League fixture on Sunday.
Cheltenham and County Harriers won the match with Cardiff Athletics placing second, Cardiff Archers were fifth and the hosts Swansea Harriers sixth.
PORTHKERRY 5 MT – JUNE 1
The men’s 10k race was won by Adam Whittaker (CDF Runners) in 28:38 ahead of James Hansell (San Domenico) in 28:53 and former Wales and Great Britain middle distance international James Thie (Pontypridd Roadents) in 29:45.
The women’s race was won by Moli Lyons (Pontypridd Roadents) who crossed the line in 32:29, followed by Emma Seward (CDF Runners) in 36:30 and Clare Good in 36:43.
Lyons and Whittaker also took the honours in the South Wales Trail Championships event which was held in conjunction with the Porthkerry race.
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Photos by Ben Gregory