STAR TRIO BAG WELSH CROWNS
CARMARTHENSHIREBASED athletes enjoyed great success in Ceredigion at the Red Kite Trail Challenge 2022.
Fifteen athletes from Carmarthen Harriers and Llanelli Athletics Club travelled to Devils Bridge near Aberystwyth for the event, which incorporated the West Wales and Welsh Trail Running Championships.
And William Coles, Amelia Williams and Iwan Thomas became Welsh Trail Running champions for 2022.
Coles took victory in the under-13 boys’ race in a time of nine minutes 26 seconds, while Williams won the corresponding girls’ age group in 11:11.
Thomas made it a hat-trick of victories in the under-15 boys’ category, completing the 5k course in 15:11.
Clubmate Finley Bruce made it a one-two by claiming second spot (15:33).
There were also top-10 placings for Annatasia Eggleston-stoker in the under-13 girls (12:52), Macsen Toogood in the under-15 boys (17:32) and under-15 girl Arianna Protheroe, who crossed the line in 24:57.
Steffan Davies (21:41), Steffan Bridger (22:14) and Jack Bruce (23:00) ran 6k in the under-17 men’s race.
A few days prior to winning the Carmarthen Mayor’s 5k race, Isaac Ayres entered the 10k in Devils Bridge (58:33).
In the half-marathon, David Keenan finished in 1:41:59, followed by Ieuan Griffiths (1:44:55), Jessica Williams (2:13:08) and Claire Protheroe (2:16:37).
Eleven medals were won altogether in the 2022 West Wales regional trail championships.
The Cardiff 5k Race for Victory incorporating the Welsh 5k Road Racing Championships also returned to the calendar over the bank holiday weekend.
Cameron Young and Mark Harrison finished in the top 100 individually with times of 15:40 and 16:16 respectively.
Isaac Ayres (16:41), Jake Lynock (17:20), Alan Davies (18:04), Esme Lynock (20:56) and Non Morgan (22:44) also completed the 5k course around the streets of Whitchurch.
Liam Regan (8.50), Hugo Douglas (10:26), Casi Gregson (10:50) and Leah Regan (11:00) attended the Ras Dyffryn Cledlyn in Llanybydder, where the quartet took part in the secondary schools’ race.
The first West Wales Regional Athletics Championships since 2019 will take place this weekend at Cwrt Herbert Athletics Track in Neath.
More than 200 athletes from under-13 to senior age groups have entered, with regional medals up for grabs across all track and field disciplines.
ALL eyes tomorrow (Thursday) will be on the Swansea.com Stadium when Seven Sisters Onllwyn and Trostre AFC do battle in the final of the West Wales Intermediate Cup. The kick-off is at 7.15pm.
Playing their football in tier 4 of the Welsh pyramid, Seven Sisters Onllwyn are as short as 4-7 favourites to capture the trophy against opponents who compete in tier 5 to 7. But write off Trostre at your peril.
In reality the formbook suggests there is little to choose between the teams, and Trostre have already knocked out two tier 4 clubs in the competition. They beat Morriston Town 2-0 at home before edging a 3-2 extra-time win at South Gower in the quarter-finals.
There followed a hard-fought 2-1 win against Swansea Senior League side Rockspur in the semi-finals, while in the early rounds Trostre accounted for Landore (h) 6-0 and Ynysmeudwy Athletic (h) 12-0 in the second and third rounds, this after the luxury of a bye in the first round.
Seven Sisters Onllwyn produced arguably their best performance of the season when defeating Hakin United from the Pembrokeshire League 2-1 in the semi-final.
Despite being tier 5 to 9 of the pyramid, it was Hakin who started as favourites that day, going into the tie on the back of a 4-0 win at home to West Wales Premier League champions Penlan Club in the quarter-finals.
A repeat of that and Seven Sisters will be tough to beat.
The road to the final started with an 8-0 win at home to Ystradgynlais in the first round and 10-0 away to Clydach Sports in the second round.
From the third round through to the quarter-finals it was tougher for Seven Sisters, but they made ground advantage count in a 4-2 win against Sandfields, 2-1 against Giants Grave, and 3-1 against St Clears.
Domestically, the fight for the title in the Premier division of the Carmarthenshire League was onesided, with Trostre AFC having 13 points to spare over runners-up Pontlliw when crowned champions. Trostre are also through to the TG Davies Senior Cup final after defeating Felinfoel 6-1 last Saturday.
Liam Jones netted twice for Trostre, and there were also goals for Dan Anderson, Jamie Jenkins, Dominic Saunders and Rhys Griffiths. Trostre play Pengelli United in the final on Wednesday, August 18, at Stebonheath Park, kick-off 7.15pm.
Life was harder for Seven Sisters Onllwyn, who did well to finish third in the table behind champions Penlan Club in the inaugural West Wales Premier League.
In the other TG Davies Cup semifinal, goals from Kieran Burder and James Richards for Pengelli United were enough to secure a 2-2 extratime draw against neighbours Pontlliw. And Pengelli went through on penalties.
To highlight the strength of the Trostre AFC squad, the Reserves have reached the final of the Darch Cup and will play Loughor Rovers Reserves at Stebonheath Park next Monday evening. The kick-off is at 7pm.
Loughor Rovers Reserves proved too strong for Seaside Reserves in the semi-final, winning 3-0. Lewis Sherman scored two goals and Alex Mccumersky the other one.
Stebonheath Park is also the venue for this evening’s Darch Plate final between Burry Port Reserves and Johnstown Reserves. It kicks off at 7pm.
The TG Davies Senior Plate final is being staged at Stebonheath Park this Friday between Caerbryn and Evans & Williams Reserves, kick-off 7.15pm.
Caerbryn beat Gwendraeth Valley neighbours Drefach 3-1 in the semifinal thanks to goals from Joel Lewis, Olly Dymond with a penalty, and Kieran Jones.
There was also action in midweek, and in the battle between the top two in division one it finished 0-0 between champions Felinfoel and visiting Pwll Athletic. Both defences were solid throughout, and outstanding on his debut for Felnfoel was centrehalf Kai Jones.
It was not the way Caerbryn wanted the season to end, the division champions being awarded a 4-0 win after the failure of Dafen Reserves to raise a team for their home game.
Danny Smale and Liam Mccann shared four of the goals for Pontlliw in their 6-1 win at home to Camford Sports in the third round of the TG Davies Senior Cup, while Rhodri Noakes and Osian Thomas scored the goals for FC Carmarthen in the 2-1 win at Bancffosfelen in the third round of the Challenge Cup.