By Owen Morgan
There are some mouth-watering head-to-heads on the cards at this weekend’s Welsh Senior Track and Field Championships in Cardiff.
On the track, Great Britain team-mates and Wales Commonwealth Games competitors Heather Lewis and Bethan Davies will showdown for the Welsh 5K race walk crown.
Pembrokeshire athlete Lewis has had the upper hand so far this season having broken her personal best over 20K three times already and claimed the British Athletics Grand Prix title.
However, Cardiff’s Davies is the reigning British and Welsh outdoor 5K champion and represented Great Britain two years ago at the World Athletics Championships.
While in the field, two of Britain’s most promising young throwers Bethany Moule and Bethan Rees will be vying for the senior javelin crown.
Birchfield Harrier Rees last year won the Welsh title after having travelled down from Birmingham where she won the English Schools title earlier in the day.
The hammer throw will see a clash between experienced Commonwealth Games competitor Osian Jones take on rising star Jac Palmer.
Both men are in good form and high in confidence and Liverpool Harrier Jones said: “I’m definitely in PB shape so it is a target of mine for the weekend.”
Meanwhile, Cardiff’s Palmer said: “In my last two competitions, I’ve fouled some really big throws so I think if I can stay in the circle or keep it in the sector there’s going to be a big throw in there this weekend.”
Although many of Wales’ rising young stars are currently out in Sweden competing for Great Britain in the European Under-23 Championships, or preparing for the Euro Under-20 championships later this month, there will still be an array of talent on show.
The discus will feature Olympian Brett Morse, bidding to add to the 10 Welsh titles he already has to his name, while fellow Great Britain athlete Sam Gordon will be looking to regain the 100m title he won in 2017.
James Williams, head of operations at Welsh Athletics, said: “The Welsh Track and Field Championships is the highlight of the domestic season in Wales.
“The previous champions’ list reads like a who’s who of Welsh sporting greats, and we are delighted that many of them will be returning once again this year to support the current generation of Welsh athletes.
“The event will see a mixture of Wales’ best athletes rub shoulders with many aspiring junior athletes, as we host a number of U15 events, alongside the junior club relay championships.”
The action starts at noon on Saturday when admission to the Cardiff International Sports Complex will be free. Sunday’s competition starts at 11.15am and admission is £4 for the day.
There will also be a coaches’ meet and greet session on Saturday between 11am – 1pm in the marquee and a coaches and officials’ meet and greet on Sunday between 11am – 2pm in the Cardiff AC club room.
See the Welsh Athletics website for the full timetable and list of competitors.