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Weekend Round-Up (7 June - 8 June 2025)
09/06/2025 00:00, In Blog /
RUN WITH THE WIND 2 – CARDIFF, JUNE 4
British, European and world indoor 60m champion Jeremiah Azu was amongst the athletes taking part at the second of this year’s Run With the Wind events in Cardiff on Wednesday evening.
Azu hadn’t competed since the Wanda Diamond League Meeting in Shanghai on May 3, where he clocked 10.19.
The week before he had finished third at the Xiamen Diamond League event, also in China, where he finished ahead of American star Christian Coleman in 10.17.
The Cardiff athlete was only slightly slower back at home on the Leckwith track as he posted the fastest time of a cool evening with 10.25.
But later in the event, the Paris Olympics relay medallist ran a superb new personal best of 20.90.
It was Azu’s first 200m run since clocking 21.18 in Firenze back in 2023 and surpassed his previous best of 20.96 achieved at the Loughborough International in May 2022.
Having returned to Cardiff this year after a spell based in Italy, Azu was surrounded by fellow members of coach Helen James’ training group at Wednesday night’s event.
Running in the fastest seeded 100m race of the night, Azu was followed home by training partners and Cardiff Athletics clubmates Sam Gordon and Lewis Stephens who clocked 10.47 and 10.48 respectively.
Welsh Athletics National Development Plan athlete Stephens is currently the third fastest Under-20 athlete in the UK.
Gordon and Stephens were also second and third to Azu in the 200m where Great Britain international Gordon stopped the clock in 21.26 and Stephens celebrated a new PB of 21.29.
NDP T37 para sprinter Tomi Roberts-Jones (Newport Harriers) ran a season’s best 100m time of 13.45.
The fastest female 100m time of the night was posted by another Helen James NDP athlete, Jessica Mantle (Cardiff Athletics), with 11.93.
Meanwhile, another under-20 sprinter, Millie Webb (Cardiff Athletics) registered the next fastest female performance with a new personal best of 12.01.
The fastest women’s 200m time of the night saw Maltese Olympic athlete Charlotte Wingfield (Cardiff Athletics) run 24.46, while Webb rounded off a spectacular evening personally by claiming another PB with 24.57.
In the 100m hurdles, Welsh Athletics Transition Programme multi-eventer Grace Morgan (Cardiff Archers) ran 14.17, while NDP athlete Ava Lexi Placide (Cardiff Athletics) followed home in 15.19.
Meanwhile, under-17 athletes and Cardiff Archers clubmates Macsen Martins Hughes and Cobie Phillips gained PBs of 14.40 and 14.43 respectively.
There was a new PB of 49.12 in the 400m for NDP athlete Osian Parry (Cardiff Archers), while the fastest female time was recorded by rising under-17 talent Darcy Costlett (Llanelli Athletics) with 55.11.
The fastest male time of the evening over 300m was posted by under 15 athlete Tobias Evans (Cardiff Athletics) with 39.06, while Sophie Steel (Newport Harriers) was the fastest female in 42.52.
Madison Coote (Cardiff Athletics) led the way in the under-15 girls 75m hurdles with a time of 11.79.
As well as all the sprints, there was a discus competition where Paris Paralympian Harrison Walsh (Swansea Harriers) (F44) threw a best of 53.01m.
NDP athlete Lachlan Robbie (Cardiff Archers) enjoyed a best of 46.46m, while the longest female distance of the evening came from Gwennan Lewis (Swansea Harriers) with 32.44m.
TRAIL DE GUERLEDAN – BON REPOS SUR BLAVET, FRANCE – JUNE 7-8
Despite some of the Welsh team picking up a viral infection, there were some outstanding medal winning performances at the annual Trail de Guerledan.
Leading the way was World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games marathoner Josh Griffiths (Swansea Harriers) who won the men’s 26km race in a dramatic sprint finish.
Proudly clutching the Welsh flag in his hand, Griffiths took the win in 1:52.45 just two seconds ahead of Cornwall’s Jacob Landers.
Next home for Wales in 15th place was Gwynant Jones (Western Tempo) in 2:01.48 with Tom Foster (Guildford and Godalming) 23rd in 2:05.58.
In the women’s race, Eden O’Dea (Deeside AC) and Lucy Williamson (Mynydd Du), who had both picked up a viral infection, led early on in the wet and slippery conditions.
However, they slipped back in the latter stages as Williamson eventually finished fifth in 2:27.33 and O’Dea was ninth in 2:31.08. Ruth Calcraft (Run Free Fell Runners) clocked 2:35.49.
As a result of the individual performances, both the Welsh male and female teams earned bronze medals in the team competition.
On day two, there was another excellent Welsh showing as Andy Davies (Maldwyn), who like Griffiths competed at the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London, finished third in the 66km race in 6:14.16.
In the women’s race, Sanna Duthie (Clwb Run Wales) finished fifth in the women’s race, clocking 7:59.26.
WELSH CASTLES RELAY 2025 – JUNE 7-8
The annual Welsh Castles relay took place over the weekend, featuring teams from across England and Wales who took on the epic challenge.
Starting in Caernarfon and finishing in Cardiff, the event is a two day, 20 stage, 209 mile staggered relay stage race organised by Les Croupiers Running Club Cardiff.
This year, it was held mostly on the road but with many hills and mountains on route with an overnight stay in Newtown.
Teams compete in one of four categories – Open, Ladies, Vets and Business House. Races within races are also a key feature as individuals try to bag individual stage wins and teams battle it out for both the overall category awards and the special mountain stage prizes.
There are six mountain stages (three on each day) in all and three team mountain stages prizes: the Kings (Open), Queens (Ladies) and Monarchs (Vets).
This year, the open category was something of a three-horse race between Pontypridd Roadents, Salford Harriers and Meirionnydd, who all swapped the lead during the event.
But it was Pontypridd who emerged as open winners in an overall time of 18 hours 41 minutes and 19 seconds. Salford were second in 18:46.19 with Meirionnydd third in 19:25.18.
In the ladies race, Les Croupiers took the lead after the second stage and there they stayed until the end, posting a winning time of 23:10.57. Team Bath were second in 24:00.08 and Sale Harriers third in 24:36.05.
BRITISH MILERS CLUB GRAND PRIX – WORLD ATHLETICS CHALLENGER – BIRMINGHAM, JUNE 7
There were some significant performances in terms of gaining standards for various events at the BMC Grand Prix in Birmingham.
Welsh Athletics Performance Programme middle-distance runner Piers Copeland (Pontypridd Roadents) pocketed a Commonwealth Games B consideration standard with 1:46.75 as he finished sixth in men’s 800m A race.
In the 3,000m steeplechase women’s A race, National Development Programme athlete Millie Gold (Swansea Harriers) continued her excellent season as she finished sixth in a new personal best of 10.28.89. The time gives Gold the qualifying standard for the European Under-20 Championships.
There were also PBs for a number of other Welsh athletes. NDP middle distance runner Thomas Loynes (Neath Harriers) clocked 1:51.75 to finish fourth in the men’s 800m F race.
Welsh junior international Anya Brady (Newport Harriers) celebrated a PB of 2:13.00 finishing fourth in the women’s 800m F race.
Likewise, Welsh cross country international Rhiannon Paton (Westbury) PBd in 4:31.81 to win the women’s 800m E race and Welsh under-23 international Adam Barber (Harborough) earned a PB of 14:14.37.
FC PUTBOS MEMORIAL BUYLE – OORDEGEM, BEGLIUM, JUNE 7
World Class Programme 400m runner Joe Brier (Swansea Harriers) ran a season’s best 47.24 as he finished seventh in Belgium on Saturday.
MEMORIAL CARLOS GIL PEREZ – SALAMANCA, SPAIN, JUNE 7
Dewi Hammond (Cardiff Athletics) ran his fastest 100m time since 2022 when he clocked 10.27 to finish fourth in Spain on Saturday.
SATURDAY THROWS LEAGUE 3 – ABERDARE, JUNE 7
At the Saturday Throws League in Aberdare, Storm Evans (Carmarthen Harriers) won the male and female discus with a best of 42.51m. Clubmate Dolly Evans claimed second place with 37.74m.
In the male and female javelin competition, Richard Dangerfield (Cardiff Athletics) claimed the win with 58.83m ahead of clubmate Gary Piazzon with 36.80m.
WEST WALES JUNIOR LEAGUE 2 – SWANSEA, JUNE 7
The host club, Swansea Harriers, took the honours in the second fixture of the West Wales Junior League as they amassed 841 points.
Carmarthen Harriers were second with 329 points and Llanelli AC third with 284 points.
Among the outstanding performers on the day was 12-year-old Poppy Brannigan (Swansea Harriers) who won the under-13 girls high jump with 1.52m.
Meanwhile, 14-year-old Nate Greig (Bridgend AC) ran the fastest under-15 boys 800m time of the day with 2:03.4.
DEESIDE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OPEN (INCORPORATING THE NORTH WALES JUNIOR LEAGUE) – JUNE 7
Deeside Athletic Club celebrated its 50th anniversary on Saturday with a special open competition at Deeside Stadium.
More than 200 athletes from across the region took part in the event which incorporated the North Wales Junior League.
National Development Programme athlete Olivia Scrimshaw (Deeside AC) won the under-15 boys and under-17 women 80m hurdles in 11.60 and was the highest placed female in the under-15 to senior male and female triple jump with 11.43m.
Another NDP multi-eventer, Aidan Angilletta (Deeside AC) won the under-17 men and under-20 women 100m hurdles in 13.50 and was runner up in the under-15 to senior long jump where he registered a best of 5.88m
On his return from the USA where he has been successfully competing for Milligan College, Bryn Woodall (Colwyn Bay) comfortably won the male and female 800m in 1:53.96.
In the 2k walk, there were new personal bests for Regional Development Programme athletes Spencer Jones (Wrexham) with 10:06.28 and Nia Vale (Aberdare Valley AAC) with 12:32.22.
INTERNATIONALES PFINGSTSPORTFEST – REHLINGEN, GERMANY JUNE 8
Wales and Great Britain International Isabelle Boffey (Enfield and Haringey) continued her return from last season’s injury with a brilliant win over 800m in Germany on Sunday.
Boffey overcame fellow British athlete and 2025 European Indoor Championship bronze medallist Revée Walcott-Nolan to claim the win in 2:00.97.
SWANSEA UNIVERSITY SWANSEA HALF MARATHON – JUNE 8
More than 7,500 participant from fun runners to elite athletes were registered for this year’s Swansea Half Marathon on Sunday.
The elite women’s race saw a brilliant new course record set by Welsh Athletics Performance Programme athlete Natasha Wilson (nee Cockram) (Micky Morris Racing Team).
Wilson, who represented Wales at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, won in 1:12.13.
Louise Small (Aldershot Farnham and District AC) was second in 1:12.59 with Sasha Martin (Clwb Run Wales) third in 1:13.32.
Another Welsh Commonwealth Games competitor and previous winner of this race, Dewi Griffiths (Swansea Harriers) finished second in the men’s race, clocking 1:05.04 behind Omar Ahmed (Birchfield Harriers) who won in 1:03.13. Ollie Lockley (Leeds City AC) was third in 1:05.57.
In the wheelchair race, there was another fine performance from Welsh Athletics National Development Programme athlete Owain Terrell (Newport Harriers) who was third in 1:07.34 behind Coventry Godiva Harriers pair Josh Hickinbottom and Mel Nicholls.
SOUTH WALES JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT OPEN 3 – CARDIFF, JUNE 8
More than 300 young athletes were registered for the South Wales Junior Development Open fixture at the Cardiff International Sports Complex.
Among the winners on the day were 13-year-old Dylan Holmes (Cardiff Archers) who won the Under-15 boys 200m in 24.41 and the under-15 boys long jump with 5.19m. He was also second in the 100m behind Gethin Hughes (Cardiff Athletics), who claimed the win in 11.94. Hughes also won his heat in the 100m with 25.75.
Olivia Thomas (Cardiff Archers) enjoyed a faultless day as she won her Under-13 girls 100 and 200m heats in 13.55 and 27.59 respectively and her long jump pool with 4.12m.
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