THE WELSH Athletics & Welsh Schools Indoor Combined Events Championships took place at the National Indoor Athletics Centre in Cyncoed, Cardiff last Saturday (Oct 7).
It has not been long since the dust settled on the 2017 outdoor season, but the weekend brought the opening fixture of the 2017-18 indoor season.
U18 and U16 athletes competed in a Pentathlon whilst the U14 athletes contested the Quadrathlon.
A group of athletes from Dyfed schools entered the competition to test themselves against top class athletes from across Wales, many gaining their first experience at indoor events.
Two Carmarthen Harriers coached by Dorrien Thomas – Beca Roberts (Bro Pedr) and Lili Church (Aberaeron) in the under 16 girls’ age group continued their fine form after the conclusion of the track and field season.
Roberts won a bronze medal by finishing in third overall – her performances totalling a personal best of 2872 were: Long Jump 4.90m; 60m Hurdles 9.82; High Jump 1.50; Shot 7.74m and 800m 2.38.49.
Church matched her teammate with a PB score of 2493 finished off well in 10th position thanks to: Long Jump 4.16m; 60m Hurdles 10.30; Shot 8.09m and 800m 3.04.18 as well as a big jump of 1.62m in the high jump. This performance was the best out of the under 16 and under 18 girls combined!
They were joined by another three consisting of Pembrokeshire and Llanelli athletes. Completing the day in eighth place was Dyffryn Taf pupil Flavia Jenkins. The high jump competition for these girls turned out to be a success helped by Jenkins’ fifth best jump of 1.47m, beating her previous personal best jump four times.
Llanelli AC club friends and Bryngwyn duo Iona Melrose and Amy Mullen stayed close throughout the whole competition matching each other’s’ results with Melrose just coming out on top in 17th (1876) and 18th (1829) respectively.
Elsewhere, Dylan Phillips (Bro Gwaun) won an individual bronze medal in the under 16 boys category scoring 2907 points. He was just 18 points off from gaining silver but clear of the rest of the field. Phillips finished off in the top four in all five events including winning the shot discipline.
Pembrokeshire young talented duo Jamie Zygadlo (STP) and Lucy Wintle (Preseli) came agoningsly close to confirm their places on the podium, just finishing outside the medals. Zygadlo was fourth in the under 14 category only 70 points off his nearest competitor in bronze position. A fast time of 10.24 in the sprint hurdles gained him points in second overall throughout the three heats.
In the respective age group, the under 14 girls, Wintle also was fourth but clear of the rest of the field. Her final event, 800m run was the fastest recorded by any competitor (2.34.04). Her Dyfed teammate, Chloe Simmonite (Coedcae) from Llanelli AC was close behind in fifth out of 19 entrants. She performed consistently with Simmonite completing a one-two win in the 800m race (2.40.53). In the same age group, Grace Griffiths (Tasker Milward) enjoyed her day competing against the best indoor athletes in Wales finishing off with 738 points.
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