Rise and rise of young Vale athletes continues! (From Penarth Times)

Rise and rise of young Vale athletes continues!

7:30am Thursday 3rd December 2009

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THE RISE and rise of Vale pupils in combined events competitions this year continued at the recent Joint Welsh Athletics & Welsh Schools Indoor competitions, held at the National Indoor Athletics Centre at Cyncoed in Cardiff.

Last year it was Curtis Mathews (Barry Comprehensive) who made a huge improvement to finish second in the under 18 competition (for pupils in years 11 & 12) to David Guest (Bryntirion). More importantly, his indoor five-event total of 2712 earned him a first ever Welsh Schools’ vest at the SIAB Indoor Combined Events international at Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, last December.

All of the Vale pupils who were competing in their third pentathlon of 2009 – the Cardiff & Vale Schools championships in the rain at Leckwith in May, and the Welsh Schools championships at sunny Swansea in June were the other two – left the NAIC centre feeling pleased, having set a new personal best for the year.

Perhaps the pupil who left with the greatest mixture of pleasure and surprise was Matthew Roan (St Cyres).

In May, the then year 9 pupil finished seventh at Leckwith with a score of 1720. At Swansea, his improvement was totally unexpected, claiming the Welsh Schools’ u15 silver medal with a points total of 2328, an improvement of 600 points.

On his indoor debut, the now year 10 pupil, who has all the physical attributes to make a top-class decathlete when he reaches the senior age group, produced another fighting display in a competition in which his top event, the high jump, was replaced by the 200 metres. His five event total of 2480 points added another 150 points to his Swansea score.

It was not quite enough for a top three placing – he lost out to old rival Tom Bevan (Cardiff High) for third place by just 2 points – but his fourth place meant that he was selected to represent Welsh Schools in the u16 age group (years 9 & 10) at the SIAB Indoor Combined Events international at Kelvin Hall, Glasgow on December 5.

Although Matthew Roan gained that international selection, his points total was bettered by three of the Vale year 12 boys in the u18 section.

This year the competition in that older age group was even higher than in 2008. The top three – Paul Bennett (Dyfed), Jamaul Whyte (St Teilo’s) and Rhys Williams (Glamorgan Valleys) – all bettered 3,000 points, while the experienced Glen Elsdon (Dyfed) claimed fourth place with 2,874.

Vale boys claimed the next three places.

Oliver Trotman (Cowbridge, 2799) was fifth with Tom Phillips (Stanwell, 2699) sixth and Rhys Allin (Cowbridge, 2681) seventh while another sixth former from Cowbridge, Sam Morgan, improved his May score by over 350 points – and that quartet were backed up by fifth formers Duke Durham (St Cyres) and James Glaves (Bro Morgannwg), who produced new points’ bests and will still be eligible to compete next year.

The only Vale girl to compete – year 11 Ellie Carter (Bryn Hafren) – had good reason to feel pleased as she improved from 2,008 points at Swansea to 2101 at this competition.

Two Barry & the Vale athletes, year 9 pupils Tom Williams and Luke Bowles, entered the Welsh Athletics u15 championships. Tom claimed the bronze medal with a new points best of 2042 with Luke finishing fifth on his event debut.

Both boys were also included in the Welsh Schools u16 competition, where they finished 12th and 14 respectively but have another year to make their mark.

Although the Vale sixth form boys missed out on international vests, they are asked to mark Saturday, July 3 on their calendars now. That is the date for the Aviva Welsh Schools’ National Track & field championship and it has just been decided that, for a second year, the event will be staged at the Cardiff International Sports Stadium at Leckwith. Cardiff & the Vale Schools’ district will be looking to field a large team at the event and, with a minimum of two places available in all senior age group events, hopefully Messrs Trotman, Phillips, Allin and Morgan will be included.

Results of Vale pupils

Welsh Schools

U18 Boys – Years 11 & 12 - (60H, SP, 200, LJ, 800)

5 Oliver Trotman (Cowbridge) 2799 (9.57, 11.13, 24.56, 5.64, 2:18.94); 6 Tom Phillips (Stanwell) 2699 (9.46, 9.49, 24.67, 5.51, 2:18.08); 7 Rhys Allin (Cowbridge) 2681 (9.80, 8.33, 24.52, 5.49, 2:10.66); 12 Samuel Morgan (Cowbridge) 2238 (9.66, 7.56, 25.46, 4.67, 2:23.65); 13 Duke Durham (St Cyres) 2205 (10.38, 8.88, 25.35, 5.19, 2:30.27); 14 James Glaves (Bro Morgannwg) 2132 (9.89, 9.20, 25.87, 4.92, 2:38.32)

U16 Boys - Years 9 & 10 - (SP, 60H, LJ, 800)

4 Matthew Roan (St Cyres) 2480 (9.78, 5.42, 24.96, 9.46, 2:26.14); 12 Thomas Williams (Stanwell) 2042 (10.02, 5.07, 24.96, 6.98, 2:42.00); 14 Luke Bowles (Stanwell) 1367 (10.92, 4.10, 29.00, 5.55, 2:38.32)

U18 Girls- - Years 11 & 12 - (SP, 60H, LJ, HJ, 800)

7 Ellie Carter (Bryn Hafren) 2101 (6.85, 10.55, 4.24, 1.36, 3:03.96)

Welsh Athletics Championships

U15 Boys – Years 9 & 10 – (60H, LJ, 200, SP, 800)

3 Thomas Williams (Barry & Vale Harriers) 2042; 5 Luke Bowles (Barry & Vale Harriers) 1367

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