News

This evening will be the last Academy session before the summer break. Certificates have been handed out to Academy members this week at Monday, Tuesday, and this evening session. In total 215 young members have attended the three evening sessions.

The new term will start on Monday 10th September, as will this evening session, the Academy training will take place in the Dome. The refurbishment work that has started this week at the stadium, the football pitch will be completed first, before work on the track commences. The new track will not be completed (new surface, and lined) for training sessions, until mid September.

The club office that runs the Academy, (Gayle Farrell, Administrator), and (Club Manager, Mark Gold), who handles all other club inquiries. Due to summer holidays, the club office will close on Friday 3rd August. Office will open on Monday 27th August.

During this timescale, club Chairman Bernie Plain, will be available to take phone calls (07976 368543) re any urgent issues.    

As from today the track at Cardiff International Sports Stadium, at Leckwith, is not available for training. Over the next 2 months the track and infield will be refurbished, therefore will not be available for training until mid September. The Club Room will operate as normal on club nights, Monday and Thursdays. The Academy training will be held 6pm to 7pm, inside the Dome Unit opposite the track. The Dome Unit can be used by senior groups from 7pm.

Club Chairman Bernie Plain, has agreed an arrangement with Barry Harriers Secretary Fred Malkin, that Cardiff athletes can use Jenner Park for Training on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6pm to 8pm. Entrance to stadium via Gladstone Road.

Bernie Plain will make inquiries whether it is possible that club athletes can train at Jenner Park on oher evenings. Bernie thanked Fred Malkin for being so helpful towards our club athletes, during disuption of club training while refurburbishment takes place.

Charge per athlete for Jenner Park training will be £1.50. Some MD groups will meet in Club room, and train in local parks.    

Cardiff's Senior Womens Team Manager Sharon Hevaron, reported last Thursday before Sundays Division 1 match (2) in London, that her team was very strong. Saw Sharon near end of Saturdays Welsh Schools Championships in Cardiff. Sharon was looking worried. Met Sharon as she was leaving stadium, asked how her team was, her reply was team is in tatters.

Imagine my surprise upon seeing on club FB page, that Cardiff's UKWL team had won the second match in London. Andrew Seary BAL Team manager went with tee shirts for the team, and took a couple of team photos. Had to wait till team results were posted on Power of 10 to see team individual results. No team positions are available at moment. Once results were sighted, it was no surprise the team had won the match. With (9) 1st places won in A and B events. Team also had (5) 2nd places, thus were stacking up a good number of team points. 

Like the men's BAL team, the UKWL ladies team members also doubled up on events. The only event not covered was s/c, only 3 club runners took part in s/c, an event that few runners concentrate on. 

It was no surprise that Cardiff's Senior men's Premier League team finished 7th out of 8 teams last Saturday in Bedford, with only Swansea Harriers (8th place) already in relegation position. Unless Cardiif can raise a decent team for the final fixture on the 4th August in London, they will be relegated.

There are many reasons why athletes do not compete in BAL team, yet on paper our senior men should be able to compete with the top teams in the Premier League. Rather than holding a post mortum on last Saturdays result, far better to be positive, and work towards supporting BAL Team manager Andrew Seary, and Club Captain Brett Morse, in fielding a team that will retain our place in the BAL Premier League in 2019.   

Those that did turn out last Saturday did their best, plenty of athletes doubling up in events to gain points that may well count in keeping our BAL team in the Premier League. Brett Morse was not well, yet competed in three events. He was beaten for first time in BAL meetings, in his main event throwing the Discus, with Shaftesburt Barnet Nicolas Percy fine throw of 63.17, with Brett best throw being 56.66. Brett also took part in Hammer and Shot Putt events.

This weekend is an important time for our lead senior club Track & Field teams, as both teams need good results. The men's BAL team after 2 matches in Premier League this season. Cardiff hold 5th place with 9pts. Team manager Andrew Seary has had a difficult task, with so many team members not being available to compete at Bedford. Again clashes with Welsh Schools Championships, and other events, means a number of team members are having to double up in order to win points for team. The event in Bedford, mean London clubs will have strong teams. Birchfield Harriers (Birmingham) are runaway leaders, with two wins, Sheffield are second. Cardiff will be competing against the Swansea team, with same problem of clashing fixtures.

BAL club captain Brett Morse will be leading team from front, in Discus competition, fresh from last weeks win, his 4th British Championship Gold medal. Brett has won 10 British championships Discus medals, and has not lost a BAL compitition. Brett has been selected for GB team taking part in the World Cup on 14th/15th July in London.

Andrew will be working hard on trying to improve team, right up to competion on Saturday.   

After the first day of the British Athletics Championships held in Birmingham 1st to 2nd July, a meeting that is also a Trial for GB teams taking part in the European U23 and Senior Championships in Berlin , Germany in August.

Brett Morse won his 4th Discus SM title with a throw of 58.90m. Brett has won senior men titles in 2012, 2013, 2015 and this year. Brett is having a good season with consistent discus throw results. With his seasons best throw of 61.71 on the19th June in the Cardiff AAC Young Throwers meeting.

Brett coaches his younger brother Jay Morse in U20 discus. Jay has been selected for the GB team in the European Youth (U18) Championships in Gyor, Hungary from 5th to 8th July 2018. 

Aled Davies F42 was 1st with a discus throw of 48.86m.

Ieuan Thomas was 2nd in the 3km SW S/C final in 8.33.88. only 0.76secs behind the winner. Ieuan has also achieved British Athletics standard in 3km SM S/C, for the European Senior Championships, held in Berlin, Germany in August. 

The England Athletics event for U23, U20, and U18 male and female athletes, was held in Bedford 16/17th June. The event is open to Celtic athletes, thus is a British Championship event. Standards of competition are very high. The Bedford event is also Trial competitions for Great Britain teams in European Championships at U18. U20 and U23 age groups. Athletes besides finishing on the podium at Bedford, must also have achieved the standards set in their events, in order to gain selection to GB teams.

A number of Cardiff athletes were successful at Bedford with podium places.

U23

Joseph Reid 800m 1.51.89 1st in a tactical race. Joseph finished the fastest down finishing straight.

Jac Palmer Hammer Throw 67.29m 1st. Jac continued his fine current form in retaining his title won in 2017.

Richard Dangerfield Javelin Throw 60.05m 3rd. 

On Tuesday 19th June the 3rd meeting of the 2018 series Cardiff AAC Young Throwers Invitational Competions took place. It started last year as a developmental platform for young throwers in Cardiff AAC, in order to hone their skills, and provide more local meetings.

The initial competition in August 2017 involved 11 competitors in Hammer and Discus events. The latest event attracted a total of 24 competitors in Discus, Hammer and Javelin events.

A number of standout performances were noted during the evening. All Cardiff athletes unless stated

Ethan Witchell Discus U13B 33.19m personal best, a new U13B Club record, and No1 ranked in UK. 

Cassey Grimwade DiscusU17W 33.15m personal best, and ranked No1 in U17W Wales as a first year U17W.

During the month of June, Welsh Athletics sent a number of small teams to events in Europe, for experience in European competition. The experience will help those athletes, who will be competing in the England U23 and U20 Championships. And British Athletics Seniors Trial competitions, held over this coming weekend of 30th June and 1st July in Birmingham.

Geneva, Switzerland 9th June.

Cardiff's Sam Gordon was 5th in 100m with 10.56secs. Owen Smith was 6th in heat of 400m with 46.72secs. James Vincent was 5th in the senior mens 1500m, with a new personal best time of 3.53.1secs

Leiden, Netherlands 9th June

In the 3000m s/c Cardiff's Ieuan Thomas was 2nd with a new personal best time of 8.30.16, his time meets the British Athletics time standard, in 3km s/c for the European Senior Championships, to be held in Berlin/Glasgow from 2nd to 12th of August.

A small Welsh team of young throwers were invited to an International Throwing competition held in Almada Portugal. Throwers U23 and U20 competed against throwers from Denmark, Portugal and Spain.

Cardiff's Jac Palmer (U23) Hammer, best throw of 68.23m was a pb, a new club record, and is the third ranked (U23) in UK.

Jay Morse competed in Discus event as guest (U18) in Abrantes Portugal, a competition between Portugal and Spain. Jay's  best Discus throw of 57.44m was a pb, and a European Youth Qualifing standard, for European U18 Championships later this year.

Ffion Palmer competed in Hammer in same event at Abrantes, with her best throw of 48.22m.