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Weekend Round-Up (9-10 August 2025)
11/08/2025 00:00, In Blog /
EUROPEAN ATHLETICS UNDER-20 CHAMPIONSHIPS – TAMPERE, AUGUST 7 – 10
Welsh Athletes Millie Gold, Jessica Mantle, Nell Desir and Eden Robinson were part of the Great Britain team which finished second in the medal table at the European Under-20 Championships in Tampere over the weekend.
Mantle (Cardiff Athletics) and Desir (Cardiff Archers) were part of the GB women’s 4x100m squad, which claimed a silver medal.
The two National Development Programme sprinters were part of the GB team which won their heat in 44.66 to qualify for Sunday’s final. Desir also ran in the final, where GB finished second to Italy in a time of 43.98.
Robinson’s two-day campaign got off to a flying start with a personal best 13.82s in the 100m hurdles, before equalling her PB of 1.62m in the high jump.
The 18-year-old then went out to 13.99m in the shot put, the second-highest result in the field. Robinson closed the first day with 24.98 in the 200m to leave her fourth in the standings overnight.
Day two saw Robinson place 11th in the long jump with a best of 5.72m and 15th in the javelin with a distance of 34.79m.
Going into the final event of the competition – the 800m – Robinson was placed in sixth position.
The Cardiff Archer produced an excellent run which saw her set a new PB of 2:16.59, which meant she moved up one place to finish in fifth position overall with a points total of 5,648.
The total was not only a PB for Robinson but also broke the Welsh under-20 heptathlon record of 5,642 set by Sarah Rowe (Gloucester AC) back in 1981.
Gold (Swansea Harriers) finished a highly creditable seventh in the 3,000m steeplechase final on Saturday, crossing the line in 10:24.59. Fellow Brit Olivia McGhee was 12th in 10:41.24.
On Friday morning, Gold cruised into the final in style by knocking five seconds off her new personal best by running 10:21.75 to finish third and qualify automatically.
Gold said afterwards:
I did not expect to PB and make the final, I am so happy. A five second PB is insane in the heat.
So much hard work and motivation has gone into getting me here. I just wanted to come here for the experience and enjoy it, so to make the final on my GB debut is absolutely incredible.
ENGLAND ATHLETICS AGE GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS INCORPORATING THE JUNIOR PARA CHAMPIONSHIPS UNDER-15/UNDER-17 - BIRMINGHAM
After Welsh athletes enjoyed a successful weekend at Novuna UK Championships at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium the previous weekend, the nation’s young athletes carried on in a similar vein at the English Age Group Championships.
One of the performances of the weekend saw National Development Programme sprinter Aliyah Afolabi (Cardiff Archers) scorch to the under-17 women’s 200m title in a new personal best of 23.76.
Nate Greig (Bridgend AC) enjoyed an excellent win in the under-15 boys 1500m, claiming the title in 4:18.79, while Fletcher Roberts (Brighton Phoenix) won the under-15 boys para 1500m title in a new PB of 6:09.03. The T37 athlete also won gold in the under-15 100m final, clocking 15.71.
Evie Cooper (Cardiff Athletics) produced a brilliant performance to win the under-17 women’s hammer with a new PB of 56.99m.
The under-17 heptathlon saw Tiana Odugbesan (Cardiff Archers) win a silver medal with a points total of 4,932. Odugbesan’s performances included a brilliant leap of 5.91m in the long jump, which smashed her PB of 5.78m.
Wheelchair racer Toby Richardson (Yate and District AC) produced a superb new PB of 2:09.82 to win a silver medal in the 800m wheelchair final.
And he repeated the feat in the 200m, where he also won silver in a time of 32.12. Richardson was also fourth in the 100m final, where he crossed the line in 17.82.
Gethin Brown (Deeside AAC) was runner-up in the under-17 men’s discus, where he produced a best throw of 52.49m.
Olivia Scrimshaw (Deeside AAC) claimed a bronze medal in the under-17 women’s long jump final with a best of 5.80m.
The under-15 girls hexathlon saw Sophie Piddington (Newport Harriers) earn a bronze medal and a new PB of 3,179 points.
There was also a bronze for Joshua Thomas (Cardiff Archers), who produced a new PB of 22.52 to make the podium in the under-15 boys 200m.
Cerys Fitzpatrick (Carmarthen Harriers) also claimed a bronze medal in the under-15 girls 3,000m race walk, crossing the line in 18:37.20.
Will Chalk (Newport Harriers) narrowly missed out on a medal in the under-17 men’s steeplechase, finishing fourth in a new PB of 4:31.52.
There was also a fourth-place finish in the under-17 women’s steeplechase where Sali Owen (Carmarthen Harriers) clocked 5:24.83.
Meanwhile, Darcy Coslett (Llanelli AC) finished fourth in the under-17 women’s 300m final in 38.43.
Lucas Salvage (Newport Harriers) was fifth in the under-17 men’s 800m final in 2:00.89, while there was also a fifth place finish for Tobias Evans (Cardiff Athletics) in the boys under-15 300m final where he finished in 38.31.
Ava Lexi Placide (Cardiff Athletics) was fifth in the under-17 women 80m hurdles final in 11.50.
IFAM OORDEGEM – BELGIUM, AUGUST 9
A strong Welsh team, including a number of performance programme athletes, travelled to Belgium to take part in the IFAM meeting and returned with some impressive displays.
Cari Hughes (Cardiff Athletics) continued what has been a remarkable season by gaining a Commonwealth A standard in the 5,000m.
The previous weekend, the hugely versatile Hughes claimed a bronze medal in the 3,000m steeplechase at the UK Athletics Championships in Birmingham.
Having only taken up the steeplechase less than a month ago, Hughes has already twice improved the Welsh record and gained a Commonwealth B standard in the event.
In Belgium on Saturday, Hughes finished 11th in the main programme 5,000m race, where she clocked a new PB of 15:05.05 – gaining the A standard for the Glasgow games next year.
Another to chalk up a Commonwealth nomination standard was Issy Boffey (Enfield and Haringey), who dipped under the two minute mark in the 800m for the first time in two years.
Boffey finished second in her main programme heat in a time of 1:59.53, which gives her a seventh Commonwealth B standard.
Outstanding throws talent Mike Jenkins (Swansea Harriers) continued the brilliant form he showed at the UK Championships by winning the discus here.
Having celebrated selection to represent Great Britain at the World Para Athletics Championships earlier in the week, Jenkins won the main programme discus final with a new PB of 57.92m in the first round.
Jeremiah Azu (Cardiff Athletics) followed up his 100m silver medal at the UK Champs by finishing third here in 10.10.
Commonwealth Games athlete James Ledger (Swansea Harriers) and his guide runner Greg Kelly clocked 11.76 in their 100m heat.
Fellow Transition Programme athlete Lewis Stephens (Cardiff Athletics) continued his return from injury with 10.70 to finish fifth in his heat. Stephens also contested the 200m, where he finished sixth in 21.49.
Another Transition Programme athlete, Hannah Brier (Swansea Harriers) was third in her main programme 400m heat, where she stopped the clock in 52.36.
Brother and clubmate Joe Brier finished fifth in his pre-programme heat in 46.70, before clocking 46.71, finishing sixth in his main programme heat. Evan Blackman (Corby) was fourth in his pre-programme heat with 46.50.
National Development Programme middle distance athlete Jack Organ (Brecon AC) finished fifth in his pre-programme heat in 1:50.54.
BMC GRAND PRIX – WORLD ATHLETICS CHALLENGER – STRETFORD (MANCHESTER), AUGUST 9
Ben Reynold (Cardiff Athletics), Bronwen Reed (Trafford) and NDP athlete Henry Evans (Cardiff Athletics) led the way for Welsh runners competing in Manchester.
Reynolds won the 1500m B race, where he broke the tape in 3:42.13, while Reed was victorious in the 800m B race in 2:07.44. Evans claimed the honours in the 800m I race in a new PB of 1:52.93.
Brychan Davies (Swansea Harriers) finished third in the 2,000m steeplechase, where he celebrated a new PB of 5:59.63, while Poppy Elton (Worcester) was fourth in the 1500m B race in a PB of 4:27.54. Iwan Thomas (Carmarthen Harriers) was seventh in the 1500m I race in a PB of 3:57.77.
SWANSEA HARRIERS EVANS FAMILY OPEN MEETING – AUGUST 9
More than 300 athletes took part in the Swansea Harriers Evans Family Open at the Swansea Bay Sports Park on Saturday. Full results below.
DRAGONFLY 2 – PARC CWM DARRAN, BARGOED, AUGUST 9
Runners at this event choose how far to go - from 5km to 10k, half to marathon to ultra, competitors complete as many, or as few, laps as they like of a 5.3km, 3.28 mile, out and back, course through Parc Cwm Darran.
Runners and walkers are welcome to complete one lap or keep going to see how far they can get in the full 7-hour time limit. Everyone gets a bespoke finishers medal.
CAERNARFON 10K – AUGUST 10
Welsh Commonwealth Games marathoner and Great Britain international Dewi Griffiths won the Caernarfon 10K on Sunday.
The Swansea Harrier shattered the course record of 31:02 set by Michael Johnson (Cardiff Athletics) in 2008.
Griffiths claimed the win in the latest Welsh 10k Road Race Series in a time of 29:28 ahead of World Athletics Championships marathoner Josh Griffiths, who was representing the North Wales team, and crossed the line in 30:51. Third place went to another North Wales Team member Luke Burgess in 30:58.
The first female finisher was Eden O’Dea (North Wales Team), who completed the course in 36:34. Next home was Donna Morris (Builth and District Running Club) in 36:51. Louise Flynn (Les Croupiers) was third in 37:06.
BUMBLE BEE RUN – AUGUST 10
Like the Dragonfly 2, runners at this event choose how far to go - from 5km to 10k, half to marathon to ultra, competitors complete as many, or as few, laps as they like of a 5.3km, 3.28 mile, out and back, course through Parc Taff Bargoed.
Runners and walkers are welcome to complete one lap or keep going to see how far they can get in the full 7-hour time limit. Everyone gets a bespoke finishers medal.
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Photo credit: Anastasia Karekla for European Athletics