Aces look to put frustration behind them

THERE was frustration for many Welsh runners earlier this year.

Fifty young Welsh Schools athletes in the under-15 and under-17 age groups had been set to represent the Welsh Schools Athletic Association in Scotland.

The SIAB Schools Cross Country International was due to take place at Callendar Park in Falkirk, but was cancelled because of the Covid-19 restrictions.

This end-of-season fixture has involved the best school endurance runners from England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland.

The selection race in Wales was held as part of the Welsh Schools

National Cross Country Championships at Brecon in March.

The Dyfed Schools district from the Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion areas saw nine athletes finish in automatic qualifying positions and a further two named as reserves, the most from the district for several years.

Six of the 13 had already represented Wales either in cross country or track and field previously, but for the other seven this would have been their first opportunity to compete at international level.

Those selected in the Junior Boys section were Zach Elvy (Bro Myrddin), Finlay Tarling (Aberaeron),

Iwan Thomas (Glan y Môr) and Ifan Bowen (Bro Myrddin, reserve).

In the Junior Girls’ race, Mila Blackwell (Greenhill) was named as a reserve).

In the Middle Boys section there were call-ups for Adam Beer (Glan y Môr), Dafydd Jones (Bro Myrddin), Frank Morgan (Bro Myrddin), Rhys Llewellyn (Haverfordwest High), Iori Humphreys (Harri Tudur) and Liam Edwards (Bro Myrddin).

Dyfed Schools had another successful day at the Welsh championships with Year 7 boys, junior boys and middle boys age groups all emerging victorious in the team competitions.