Master’s Inter Area T&F Championships - Sunday 2nd August – at Yate...
- Don Hale
- 2 hours ago
- 7 min read
*Pictured above and below - some great photos of the Welsh Masters Athletics team members at the recent Inter-Area championships at Yate.
Master’s Inter Area T&F Championships - Sunday 2nd August – at Yate...
Special report courtesy of Gareth Robbins. Photos by Aled Hughes and Joe Horner.
The men’s team provisionally finished 5th – with 2 events still to be declared by the end of the day. The ladies team finished a wonderful 4th overall, meaning that the combined scores provisionally gave us a 4th place finish.
Special mention to all our debutants at this event, well done everyone pulling on the red Welsh vest for the first time.
The team produced some brilliant performances across the board, with a total of 9 Welsh age group records broken (subject to ratification):
- M65 – 100mH – Iain Moody (18.16s)
- M60 – 800m – Steven Gardner (2:15.34)
- M35 – 4x100m – Chris Cogan-Howe, Samson Chinaka, Owen Chesher, Chris Shepherd (46.66s)
- W50 – 2000m Walk – Louise Kirby (16:57.91)
- W50 – 400m – Juliet Sidney (71.25)
- W60 – 400m – Cath Wheeler (74.68)
- W60 – 200m – Angela Bryant (33.32s)
- W60 – 3000m – Yvonne Hill (13:02.26)
- W60 – 4x100m – Angela Bryant, Cath Wheeler, Nicky Buckwell, Mel Garland (67.96s)
We had a number of top 3 finishes across the day, but our stand-out performers were the event winners:
W35 – 1500m - Anna Godfrey (5:08.23)
M70 – 800m - Kieran McDonnell (2:43.44)
M60 – 4x100m - Iain Moody, Kieran McDonnell, Michael Smith, Colin Williams (57.23s)
Some of our athletes had very busy days competing in multiple events, with the top 5 points scorers:
Mel Garland – 32 (5 events plus relay)
Nicky Buckwell – 27 (3 events plus relay)
Kieran McDonnell – 23 (2 events plus relay)
Lisa Boswell – 21 (4 events)
Colin Williams – 20 (2 events plus relay)
Sprints & Hurdles
M35 – Our men produced some very strong results with Samson Chinaka finishing 4th in the 100m, Chris Cogan-Howe, 3rd in a very close 200m & Jon Williams also 3rd in the 400m
M50 – In this age group Team Manager Joe Horner doubled up in the 100m & 200m, running a new pb in the longer sprint. While Adrian Lewis picked up a 6th place finish in the 400m
M60 – As mentioned, Iain Moody rewrote the record books for the 65+ age group on his way to a 3rd place finish over the hurdles. Michael Smith finished 5th in a tight 100m, while Colin Williams recorded 2 season’s bests in the 200m and 400m along with two 3rd place finishes
M70 – Rod Howe ran a creditable 6th place in a competitive 100m, while Kieran McDonnell produced a SB for 2nd place in the 200m
W35 – Our 35+ ladies were in PB form across the sprints, with Amy Pinkney picking up a new best over 100m, backing it up with a strong run over 200m later in the day.Bethan Frome also clocked a new best time in the 1 lap event. While Rhiannon Jenkins set a new PB over the short hurdles.
W50 – The main highlight here was Juliet Sidney breaking her own W55+ Welsh record for 400m – typically downplaying her achievement, quietly announced it upon returning to the stand with her comment of “just broke the Welsh record” as she tucked into a sandwich. Meanwhile Louise Kirby and Michelle Thomas picked up 4th place finishes in the 80m hurdles and 100m respectively.
W60 – The multi-talented Mel Garland recorded a pair of 3rd place finishes over hurdles and 100m, while there were two more Welsh Records to celebrate from Cath Wheeler in the w65+ 400m and Angela Bryant w65+ 200m – well done ladies.
W70 – Rosalind Townsend-Hope doubled up in the shorter sprints to record two 6th place finishes.
Middle Distance
M35 – Peter Watkeys produced a solid run in the 800m finishing 2nd behind a high-quality Midlands athlete. While Aled Hughes, on his 1500m, and Welsh track debut, came home 4th, Gareth Robbins also finished 4th over 3000m.
M50 – Paul Jacob stepped down an age group to compete over 800m and ran well in a competitive race to finish 7th. It was 6th for Adrian Lewis in the 1500m, in another high-quality event.
M60 – Steven Gardner produced another highlight for the team, breaking the Welsh age group record for the M60+ 800m, with a new PB, well done Steven, it was good enough for 2nd place behind World Record holder Rob McHarg of Scotland. In the 1500m Jeremey Mower ran well for 5th place and followed that up with another 5th in the 3000m.
M70 – Kieren McDonnell produced another event win for Wales in the m70+ 800m, and there were good runs from Paul Allen (5th) and Barrie Roberts (6th) in the 1500m and 3000m.
W35 – In the ladies 800m Karen Huggins, on debut, ran strongly to finish 5th in another quality field, while over 1500m another debutant, Anna Godfrey, ran away from the pack to take the win. More big points earned in the 3000m by Ewelina Ciesielska, in 2nd place.
W50 – Joanne Hudson had a busy day, running both the 1500m and 3000m (7th and 4th) in what turned out to be a very warm afternoon. While Tracy Hinxman also picked up a 4th place finish over 2 laps.
W60 – Another athlete who completed a lot of laps on the day was Yvonne Hill, the highlight being a new Welsh age group record for W60+ 3000m, where she finished 3rd. Earlier in the day Yvonne had come 4th over 1500m. While Cath Wheeler, fresh from her own Welsh record earlier, backed this up with 3rd in the 800m.
W70 – The final of our middle-distance star ladies was Elizabeth Tew, competing in the 800m (5th) and 1500m (4th). She was another who faced off against a Master’s world record holder, in Sarah Roberts of Southern Counties. Elizabeth battled well in both races.
Throws
M35 – At time of writing the results of the Hammer had not been updated online, Mark Boswell competed for Wales, maybe he can update us with his performance? In the discus meanwhile, Mark finished in 7th place. Over at the Javelin, Kieran Golding propelled the spear far enough to pick up 4th place, and Samson Chinaka finished a wonderful 2nd in the men’s Shot Putt
M50 – Graham Holder was another busy thrower on the day, finishing 3rd in the Discus, and 6th in the Shot Putt, once again the results of the Hammer were not available at time of writing. Ian Williams produced a 6th place finish in the Javelin.
M60 & M70 – Robert Eales was another of our throwers who doubled up over Discus and Shot, finishing 8th & 4th respectively, producing a Season’s Best in the Discus. In our most experienced age category Chris Pruski was on fine form, finishing a wonderful 3rd in the Shot and 5th in the Discus.
W35 – Lisa Boswell also had a busy day, covering all 4 of the throwing events. Finishing 6th (Discus), 4th (Shot), 3rd (Hammer) and 2nd (Javelin) – and probably earning a well deserved lay down after those efforts.
W50 – Julie Driscoll gained a pair of 6th place finishes in the Discus and Hammer, Michelle Thomas followed up her sprint result with a 4th place in the Shot and Lisa Franklin matched 4th in the Javelin.
W60 & W70 – In the w60+ Mel Garland continued her busy day with two 6th places in the Shot & Discus, while Nicky Buckwell competed in both Shot & Discus too, finished a marvellous 2nd & 3rd respectively
Jumps
M35 – Chris Shepherd left with a new PB in the Long Jump which also gave him 3rd place, Owen Chesher went one better with a 2nd place finish in the High Jump and Dave Roberts finished 5th in a competitive Triple Jump
M50 – Joe Horner was another busy athlete, competing in both Long & Triple Jumps (7th & 5th) to go with his sprinting efforts. While Glyn Price came 3rd in the Pole Vault and added 6th in the High Jump
M60 & M70 - We had a pair of Long Jumpers in Michael Smith (6th) and Paul Allen (5th) in the 60+ and 70+ age groups, picking up valuable points.
W35 – Donna Willock finished a wonderful 2nd in the Triple Jump and followed up with 4th in the Long Jump, just 2cm ahead of the Southern athlete behind her. In the High Jump Clare Bryant managed a 5th place finish.
W50 – Louise Kirby showed real variety, following up her hurdles and walk with a 6th place finish in the Long Jump. While Claudia Cubbage was busy taking home 3rd in the Pole Vault, 5th in the Triple Jump and 6th in the High Jump
W60 & W70 – Mel & Nicky competed in the Long Jump for the 60+ & 70+ age groups and matched each other’s result to bring home a pair of 2nd place finishes.
Relays
M35 – Another of our new Welsh Records on the day, where the team of Chris Cogan-Howe, Samson Chinaka, Owen Chesher & Chris Shepherd broke a record that had stood since 2017, running 46.66, to finish 2nd behind a very strong Midlands team.
M50 – Our team of Glyn Price, Steven Gardner, Dave Roberts and Joe Horner ran strongly to take 5th place
M60 – Another event victory to celebrate as the team of Iain Moody, Kieran McDonnell, Michael Smith & Colin Williams just pipped Southern Counties in a remarkable photo finish.
W35 – Our younger ladies team of Donna Willock, Bethan Froome, Clare Bryant and Amy Pinkney produced a very good result in a highly competitive race, finishing 3rd.
W50 – In the 50+ race, Tracy Hinxman, Louise Kirby, Lisa Franklin and Michelle Thomas ran well and got the baton round for 7th place.
W60 – Our final record breakers of the day were the ladies 60+ relay, comprising Angela Bryant, Cath Wheeler, Nicky Buckwell and Mel Garland, setting a new time of 67.96s which helped them to 2nd place in the race.
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