Kate and Anna win in track events (From Penarth Times)

Kate and Anna win in track events

THE VALE of Glamorgan's young athletes did themselves proud last month in the Capitol Shopping Centre Cardiff and The Vale Schools' Middle (U17) Championships.

For once, the rain held off and athletes gained encouragement from the sunny skies but as ever at Cardiff's Leckwith Road stadium, the wind was not entirely helpful.

Three girls added under-17 success to the under-15 titles which they won last year - Kate Wiltshire (St Cyres) and Anna Symonds (Stanwell) producing the fastest time in the 800 and 1,500 respectively with Welsh Schools' international Jenny Wade (Bryn Hafren) holding off the challenge of local rival Bethan Sullivan (Bro Morgannwg) to take the high jump.

St Cyres gained a second success in the 80 metres hurdles, in which the much improved Gemma Goulbourne claimed the victory, Llangan based Gwennan Harries, wearing the maroon and gold of YG Plasmawr, won the javelin.

Michael Walker was the star of the show. Pole vaulter Walker is familiar to the Leckwith conditions. It was here last summer that he won his event at the top schools' event of the summer - the under-17 Schools' International, which brings together the top two athletes in the age group from England, Scotland and Wales, in all the standard events.

The fixture, successor to the first schools' international held between Scotland and Wales at Colwyn Bay in 1959, had not been held in Cardiff since 1964 - and there had never been a Welsh winner in the pole vault.

All that changed on July 19, 2003, when young Michael of Cowbridge Year 11 cleared 4.10 metres to claim the SIAB title.

For good measure, Michael also finished third in the final of the 100 metres hurdles.

Three girls added under-17 success to the under-15 titles which they won last year - Kate Wiltshire (St Cyres) and Anna Symonds (Stanwell) producing the fastest time in the 800 and 1,500 respectively with Welsh Schools' international Jenny Wade (Bryn Hafren) holding off the challenge of local rival Bethan Sullivan (Bro Morgannwg) to take the high jump.

St Cyres gained a second success in the 80 metres hurdles, in which the much improved Gemma Goulbourne claimed the victory, Llangan based Gwennan Harries, wearing the maroon and gold of YG Plasmawr, won the javelin.

Llantwit Major's Jason Prout won his heat of the 400 metres and finished third in the final, and Jonathan Komor of Cowbridge enjoyed a strong lead in the 800 metres.