ATHLETICS

HRISTOPHER Jeynes (Brackla Harriers) and Catherine Stephens (Bridgend) were the main winners of this season’s Festive Four competition, writes Tony Poole.

The annual event spread over four races - promoting running in the Bridgend area during the festive season - was once more split into three categories.

The Yellow jerseys were for accumulative times; White embraced age-graded while Green compared seasonal best. The winners were as follows: Yellow Jerseys: Christopher Jeynes (Brackla Harriers), Catherine Stephens (Bridgend).

White Jerseys: Adrian Pearce (Ogmore Phoenix), Libby Lavis (Brackla Harriers).

Green Jerseys: Gareth Hardman (Bridgend), Tina Lloyd (Brackla Harriers). JAMES Hunt went through the gears on New Year’s Day to drive to victory at the Prince of Wales Four Mile in Kenfig.

This multi-terrain race through country lanes around Kenfig was again superbly organised by the Cornelly Striders club.

Hunt, the Cardiff and Bridgend runner who had pulled off three preChristmas victories, clocked an excellent time of 19:31.

His Cardiff colleague James Thie was runner-up in 20:09; Ben Williams (Port Talbot Harries) secured third place courtesy of 20:47 while Kate Roberts (Swansea Harriers) clocked 22:47 to finish top female in 13 th position.

Local runners were also to the fore with fine times coming from Jacob Griffiths (Brackla Harriers) 22:02 (ninth), Joe Thomas (Bridgend) 22:03 (10th), Chris Jeynes (Brackla Harriers) 22:29 (12th), Geraint Lewis (Porthcawl Runners) 22:49 (14th), Adrian Pearce (Ogmore Phoenix) 23:02 (16th), Rob Hunt (Bridgend) 23:03 (17th), Dave Moore (Brackla Harriers) 23:28 (18th), Dave Bennett (Porthcawl Runners) 23:49 (21st), John Lloyd (Brackla Harriers) 23:53 (22nd), Steve Hogan (Cornelly Striders) 23:56 (23rd), Ian Ogilvie (Brackla Harriers) 23:59 (24th) and Stephen Bassett (Pencoed Tri Club) 24:27 (25 th).

Second female finisher in 33 rd place was Catherine Stephens (Bridgend) 25:16 from Deborah RobertsGoule (Porthcawl Runners) 25:40 (third female, 34th overall) and Gina Hardman (Bridgend) 25:54 (fourth female, 39th overall). ORIENTEERING specialist Kristian Jones (Swansea Harriers) won the 60th staging of the Nos Galan on New Year’s Eve in Mountain Ash.

This year’s celebrity runners were former Wales rugby captain Sam Warburton, Welsh international runner Rhys Jones and England’s former 10K world record holder David Bedford.

They laid a traditional wreath at the grave of legendary 18 th century runner Guto Nyth Bran in St Gwynno’s Church, Llanwonno.

Jones won the race in a time of 14:19 ahead of previous winner Ieuan Thomas and Cardiff AAC team-mate Dan Nash 14:55.

Bridgend runner James Hunt finished sixth in 15:03 while Jenny Nesbitt (Club Worcester AC) was top female in 29th spot, clocking 16:31.

Many local runners attended this famous old event with the best times in an Elite field of 217 competitors achieved by Chris Jeynes (Brackla Harriers) 18:07 (67th), Ryan Bevan (Bridgend) 18:12 (71st), St Mary’s golf star Mark Hiddlestone (Port Talbot Harriers) 18:20 (78th) and Rob Hunt (Bridgend) 18:43 (85th).

Zoe Thomas clocked the best female time among local runners in 18:59 from Gina Hardman 20:43 and Jacqueline Brace (all Bridgend) 21:26.

Meanwhile, in the Fun Run – contested by 912 competitors – victory went to Jonny Hughes (unattached) in 19:48.

Aled Hughes (Ogmore Phoenix) was runner-up in 19:56 with Stephen Wiergowski (unattached) taking third place via 20:15.

Fine running came from four members of the Ogmore Phoenix club – Kris Denholm 20:51 (eighth), Gareth Richards 21:06 (23rd), Gareth Jenkins 21:37 (24th) and Chris Pratt 21:56 (32nd).

The ladies race was won by sixthplaced Jess Parson ( Jog Scotland, Kintore) in 20:47 while Joanne Betty (Ogmore Phoenix) clocked 25:05 and Kelly Owen (Cwm Ogwr) 25:55. STEVE Vernon (Kirk) triumphed on Boxing Day in the Porthcawl Hi Tide Five Mile event.

His winning time was 19:55 and he finished ahead of James Griffiths (Neath Harriers) 20:58 and Rhys Francis (Brackla Harriers) 21:44.

Fourth place went to top female Elinor Kirk in 21:53 and she finished in front of Chris Jenkins (Neath Harriers) 21:58, Jamie Vanstone (Pontyclun Runners) 22:11, Geraint Williams (unattached) 22:19, Ross Purchase (Cornelly Striders) 22:29 and Rhys Hardman (unattached) 22:37.

Second female finisher in 17th spot was Fiona Kirk (Kirk), who recorded 23:45, from Ffion Higginson (Bridgend) 24:12 and Sophie Deere (Brackla Harriers) 24:31. KRIS Jones (Swansea Harriers) swept to victory in the Glynneath Five Mile run held on Boxing Day.

He won it in 23:46 from Welsh international Jonathan Hopkins (Swansea Harriers), who hails from Bridgend, in 24:10.

Highest placed local runners were Adrian Pearce (Ogmore Phoenix) 3:55 (38th), John Lloyd (Brackla Harriers) 31:45 (46th),

Ryan Bowen (Bridgend) 32:04 (50th) and Steve Loveluck (Ogmore Phoenix) 32:09 (51st).

Anneliese Loveluck (Ogmore Phoenix) was fourth female finisher in a time of 32:27. COMPETITORS from Neath Harriers occupied the top-three places in the 298 th staging of Porthcawl 5K Parkrun.

James Griffiths won the day in 16:50 from Dan Triggs 17:02 and Chris Jenkins 17:47 while fifthplaced Christopher Jeynes (Brackla Harriers) was top local runner via a time of 18:24.

First female home in 20:58 was 32 nd -placed Deborah Roberts-Goule (Porthcawl Runners) from Mandy Morris (Port Talbot Harriers) 21:24 (37th).

For a third week on the trot the event attracted a record attendance, moving it on to a staggering 508 competitors.

Earlier, the pre-Christmas 296 th staging of the event was won by Richard Dando (Bridgend) in 17:40 - personal best times came from runnerup Ross Purchase (Cornelly Striders) 17:48 and third-placed Geraint Williams (Run4All Neath) 17:57.

Top female in eighth position was Kate Roberts in 18:40 ahead of Bridgend colleague Georgina Jayne Dan- ADRIAN Pearce (Ogmore Phoenix) last Saturday won Maesteg 5K Park for a magnificent seventh time in 44 starts.

His winning time was 19:05 with Dan Morgan (Bridgend) runner-up in a personal best 19:54 ahead of Paul Speyer (Brackla Harriers) 20:02.

Top female was seventh-placed Katrin Higginson (Bridgend), who clocked 20:57.

Earlier, Sean Lewis won the preChristmas event 18:50 ahead of a Brackla Harriers colleague Rowan Hobbs 18:58.

Adrian Pearce clocked a personal best 19:01 to finish third while top female was Libby Lavis (Brackla Harriers) 24:36.

In the final 2018 staging of the Llynfi Valley event, Peter Johns (unattached) was the winner, clocking 21:17.

John Morgan (Bridgend) was second in a personal time of 21:48 with Joe Lewis registering 22:18 for thirdplace honours. STEFFAN Bridger (Pembrokeshire Harriers) last Sunday won the 166th staging of Bridgend Junior 2K Parkrun.

A second win in four visits to Newbridge Fields was crowned with a personal best time of 7:56.

Dan May (Cornelly Striders) pushed him all the way, clocking 8:02, and he finished in front of Alex Powell 8:40, Rory Griffiths (Ogmore Phoenix) 8:41 and Luke Woodhouse 8:55.

First girl finisher in 10th place was Bryony Brace in a pb 9:29.

Earlier, Dan May won the Christmas staging in 8:13 from Joshua Morgan 8:33 and Iwan Froley 8:53 with Mia Allen (Bridgend) top girl in fourth position (8:58).

In the final run of the year, Alfie Smallman (Swansea Harriers) made it four victories in 11 races via a winning time of 7:50.

It was a mere nine seconds outside his best while this time around Dan May had to settle for runner-up spot in 7:57.

Steffan Bridger (Pembrokeshire Harriers) was third in 8:12 from Jack O’Brien 8:32 and top girl Mia Allen (both Bridgend) 8:45.