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Welsh Cross Country Championships 2025 - Round-Up

27/01/2025 00:00, In Blog /
Dewi Griffiths and Lauren Cooper took the senior men and women’s titles on a brilliant day’s running at the 120th Welsh Cross Country Championships on Saturday.
The event attracted more than 1,100 entries of all abilities and ages to Pembrey Country Park, which was largely bathed in sunshine for the 11-race programme.
But it was Griffiths who grabbed the main headlines as he equalled Welsh marathon legend Steve Jones’ record of nine senior men’s cross country titles.
The Swansea Harrier took the race by the scruff on the neck in characteristic fashion as he went to the front of the field soon after the gun.
However, Griffiths didn’t have it all his own way as Thomas Chaston (Belgrave Harriers/University of Portland) tracked him closely during the first two circuits of the four-lap 10.2k race.
Chaston, who won the Welsh 3,000m steeplechase title in 2023 and finished sixth in the same event at the UK Athletics Championships in Manchester last year, was making his first appearance at these championships having raced almost exclusively in America in recent years.
But Griffiths’ huge experience started to tell in the second half of the race and the Commonwealth Games and European Championships distance runner pulled away in the closing stages to once again take the title.
The 34-year-old was delighted to draw level with former marathon world record holder Jones on nine senior men’s titles.
“I'm chuffed,” said Griffiths after crossing the line. “The main thing for me today was trying to equal Jonesy’s record. It's nice to finally do that.
“Tonight, I’ll sit back and raise a glass to him, because it was a Hell of a record he set. He had nine wins and a second place in 10 years.
“It’s different what I've done. It's taken me a few more years to get to nine. But I was thinking about it yesterday, this race has been going for 120 years. So, in theory, there couldn't be more than 120 senior men’s titles.
“Jonesy got nine and I’ve got nine. It's pretty hard to get one title, so to get nine it’s something I'll cherish.”
Griffiths, who is second only to Jones on the all-time Welsh marathon rankings added: “Whether I get the chance to do it again, who knows? The youngsters coming through are getting closer and I'm not getting any younger!
“Whether I get 10 or not doesn't matter to me. Just having that seat on the table next to Jonesy. That's a pretty special feeling.”
Griffiths admitted Chaston had pushed him hard for the title. “I was hoping it would be a bit easier than it was! I came here expecting Dan (Nash) and Daf (Jones) to be the main challenges. And as it turned out, it was someone I wasn’t expecting.
“But that's the nature of a championship race on a given day, isn't it? He made me work for it.
“I just drew on the experience I had in the past. It’s a four lap race and you know that third lap is where it’s going to hurt.
“I could sense in the second lap that I was hurting him a bit on the hills and the downhills, and he was having to work to get back to me.
“I thought I had him and I was going to pull away in the third lap, and then I heard some shouts in the fourth lap saying he was still there, and I thought ‘oh God’!, My wife and my in-laws were shouting and I could sense in their voices that it wasn't over!
“So, I gave myself a bit of a pep talk and then just hit it hard in the last half lap and made him think I wasn’t coming back. That's the half the battle.”
Griffiths broke the tape in 31:31, with Chaston coming home five second’s later to claim silver. Dan Nash (Pontypridd Roadents), who like Griffiths has been named in the elite field for this year’s London Marathon, was third in 32:40.
The senior men’s team title went to Meirionnydd A, who pipped Swansea Harriers A into second. Les Croupiers were third.
In the senior women’s race, Lauren Cooper (Parc Bryn Bach) underlined her versatility by taking gold less than a week after winning the Welsh 1500m title indoors on the track.
With the Pembrey coastal course fortunately avoiding the worst effects of storm Éowyn, the former Welsh 3000m steeplechase record holder decided to shelter from what wind there was blowing in off sea in the early stages. She tucked in behind leaders Samia Jones (Liverpool Harriers), Rhiannon Paton (Westbury Harriers) and Gemma Tutton (Swansea Harriers).
But having hit the front, Cooper never looked back as she dominated the remainder of the 7.7K race to cross the line in 29:05.
Second to cross in the overall race, which also featured men’s and women’s masters categories, was Ifan Lloyd (Swansea Harriers), who took the win in the men’s masters 65 category in 29:36.
Silver in the senior women’s race went to Tutton, who clocked 29:55, with the bronze medal going to Penny Oliver (Belgrave Harriers) in 30:01.
A delighted Cooper said afterwards: “I tucked in a little bit on the first lap because it's super windy coming down this open bit. But we were really lucky with the weather, actually, I was expecting rain!
“I felt good. I had this race plan that I was going to tuck in for as long as I could. And then I thought, ‘well, you know what, why not try and get a gap early on’? And it worked out really well for me today.
“I always like running here and I got to really enjoy the course, it's really spectator friendly. So, yeah, no complaints at all today, and hopefully our team can do well too. I can see a couple of them coming in. So, fingers crossed we could win the team title as well.”
Cooper’s hopes were answered as Parc Bryn Bach A indeed took the senior women’s team title ahead of Les Croupiers A and Swansea Harriers A.
Asked what her racing plans for the coming year were, Cooper said; “Just to enjoy running again. I’m really enjoying training but I’m not getting the best out myself in races.
“So hopefully this is a bit of a confidence booster. I’m really going to focus on the 5Ks in the summer, but at the moment, I’m just really enjoying myself and looking forward to running a bit more in Wales.”
Cooper is also looking forward to running for Wales as the event also incorporated the selection trial for the Home Countries and Celtic Cross Country International in Leeds on February 8.
“Fingers crossed this means a Welsh vest,” said Cooper. “I think the top two finishers get a Welsh place, so I’ll put all my energy into that one.”
Elsewhere in an action packed schedule, some of the UK’s most promising young endurance runners featured in a much anticipated under-17 and under-20 women’s race.
The overall race and the under-17 category was won by record-breaking middle distance track athlete Libby Hale (Swansea Harriers), who also shines at the cross country discipline.
The first lap of the 5.1K race was closely contested with a leading pack evenly matched.
But the second circuit saw Hale pull away and she claimed the gold medal with a time of 19:00. Silver went to Abigail Doherty (Deeside AC) in 19:13 with Welsh under-17 1500m steeplechase record holder Millie Gold (Swansea Harriers) taking bronze in 19:17.
The under-20 women’s category was won by Eve Bailey (Winchester and District AC) in 20:47, ahead of Hollie Lewis (Swansea Harriers) in 21:09 and Caitlin Jones (Pontypridd Roadents) in 21:31.
The day’s action had got underway with two primary school challenge races for pupils ranging from year three to year 6.
The first championship race of the day saw the under-13 boys take on a 3K course. First home was Osian Phillips (Cardiff Athletics) in 11:43, followed by Oliver Cobbold (Swansea Harriers) in 11:52 and Lewis Durston (Bridgend Athletics) in 11:57.
Spectators in the under-13 girls race over the same distance may have thought they were seeing double with Deeside AAC’s Hayes twins taking gold and silver.
Gwen Hayes took the title in 13:09 ahead of her sister Ella in 13:13. Alesha Santos (Rhondda AAC) claimed bronze in 13:18.
In the 4K under-15 boys race, Osian Parry (Menai Track and Field) retained the title he won in Brecon last year, as he proved a comfortable winner finishing 30 seconds ahead of Alfie Bartley-Rose (Deeside AAC) who claimed silver in 14:38. Deeside team-mate Zac Campbell was third in 14:41.
The under-15 girls title went to Heather Watson (Deeside AAC) who romped to victory in 15:54 ahead of Lily Sienna-Hodgson (Chepstow Harriers) in 17:07. Sali Owen (Carmarthen Harriers) was third in 17:10.
Oberon Kearney (Warriors Pentathlon and Athletic Club) who won a gold medal at last year’s European Junior Biathlon in Madeira, struck gold again in the Under-17 men’s 5.1K race, clinching the win in 17:18. Miguel Jenkins (Menai Track and Field) was second in 17:32 with Rhys Pladdy (Cardiff Athletics) third in 17:43.
The final race of the day, saw an emphatic winner over the 6.6K course with Noa Vaughan (Eryri Harriers) sealing the win in 22:35, ahead of Matt Benson (Maldwyn Harriers in 23:04 and Ethan Estaban Protheroe (Cardiff Athletics) in 23:08.