Athletics: Thomas earns her hat-trick of titles

Nov 17 2007 by Bob Cypher, South Wales Echo

ZOE THOMAS made the most of running on her home club course to claim a title for the third consecutive year when the 10th South Wales Regional Schools championships were held at Newbridge Fields in Bridgend.

For the last three years, the Porthcawl pupil has had to compete on the course at Cardiff’s Leckwith stadium finishing third on her debut in the under-13 contest and following that up with victories at under-13 and under-15 level on her appearances in 2005 and 2006.

The pre-event omens had not been good for Thomas as she finished behind Cardiff rival Carys Deeley (The Cathedral) in the opening Gwent League at hilly Singleton Park, but that home advantage made the difference as she produced a typically gutsy run to finish clear of Harriet Morris (Bedwas) with Deeley having to settle for third.

In the absence of 2006 senior champion Leanne Fitzgerald, former Welsh Schools under-17 champion Leah Dixon (St John Baptist, Aberdare) was expected to claim her first title, but Gwenno Brown (YG Glantaf) had not read the script as she produced the surprise of the day to finish 12 seconds ahead having trailed her Aberdare rival in the early stages.

Unusually, Year 7 athletes claimed seven of the top 10 places in the under-13 race. With defending champion Lora Roberts (Porthcawl) ill and unable to compete, top spot went to the form athlete, Year 7 Megan Osborne, winner of the two early season Capitol Shopping Centre Cardiff & Vale under-12 league races.

The Llantwit pupil was 12 seconds clear of the early leader, 2006 third placer Caitlyn Bryant (The Cathedral), with Brynteg Year 7 athletes Kerstin Watts and Jessica Hegarty filling third and fourth spots.

In the team competitions, the Cwm Rhymni girls added to the victories by their boys at Trelai in the under-13 and senior sections by retaining the under-15 title, while Radyr and Cardiff High were winners at senior and under-13.

From this fixture, the leading athletes will be selected to compete at the Welsh Inter-Regional championships at Llandaff Fields in Cardiff on Sunday, December 9.

Results: Under-19 (4.4km): 1 Gwenno Brown (YGGlan)16:49; 2 Leah Dixon (St JBap)17:01; 3 Lauren Regan (Cor C)17:54; 4 Ruby Miller (Lwt)18:06; 5 Lana Evans (Bro M)18:25; 6 Lauren Brobin (Whit)18:35; 7 Sophie McAloon (Rad)18:40; 8 Bethan Davies (Lsn)18:54; 9 Marissa Jenkins (Cow)19:03; 10 Alice Bevan (C’thfa)19:10; 11 Aysha Hadid (St Mar)19:10; 12 Grace Osborne (Lwt)19:10; 13 Alice Johnston (How)19:29; 14 Ceri Sayce (CardHS)20:10; 15 Rachel Robst (Lsn) 20:12; 16 Zoe Hoskins (B’teg) 20:26; 17 Manon Williams (YGGlan) 20:33; 18 Charlotte Hayward (Rad) 20:36; 19 Elin Morgan (Rad) 20:45; 20 Tirion Price (YGRhyd) 20:56; 21 Catrin Campbell-Moore (CardHS) 21:05; 22 Hollie Ryder (Rad) 21:07; 23 Sophie Jones (Cow) 21:11; 24 Bethan Taylor (CardHS) 21:15; 25 Ceri Allman (Cow) 21:20; 26 Caroline Cubbin (Cow) 21:23; 27 Emma Brown (Lsn) 21:33; 28 Sophie Edwards (Cow) 21:34; 29 Sophie Woodbridge (Cwm R) 21:46; 30 Stacey Vincent (Maes) 22:09.

TEAM: 1 Radyr 66; 2 Cowbridge 83; 3 Cardiff High 105; 4 Whitchurch 116; 5 Cowbridge B 136; 6 St Martin's 139; 7 YG Cwm Rhymni 145

Under-15 (3.7km): 1 Zoe Thomas (P’cawl)13:04; 2 Harriet Morris (Bed)13:22; 3 Carys Deeley (Catdrl) 13:28; 4 Ffion Lewis (YGL’hari) 13:46; 5 Ffion Jones (Cwm R) 13:52; 6 Sloane Kinsella (P’cawl) 13:55; 7 Jessica Stacey (YGGOlwg) 14:15; 8 Cerri-Ann Santos (St Cy) 14:26; 9 Lucy Harvey (Rad) 14:31;10 Rebecca Roberts (St Mar)14:56; 11 Eloise Laity (West)15:01; 12 Heledd Williams (YGGlan)15:04; 13 Nia Morgan (St Cy)15:06; 14 Molly Sander (Cow)15:10; 15 Nia Challinor (Cwm R)15:17; 16 Carys Evans (Cwm R) 15:22; 17 Jade Price (Cwm R) 15:24; 18 Alysha Jones (P’cawl)15:25; 19 Bianca Dix (Cwm R)15:25; 20 Anna Raven (Rad) 15:27; 21 Sabrina James (Cow) 15:28; 22 Eluned Hyde (Rad) 15:29; 23 Joanne Westwood (Lsn) 15:30; 24 Mandy Grant (YGL’hari) 15:31; 25 Natalie Capel (Rad) 15:46.

TEAM: 1 YG Cwm Rhymni 53; 2 Radyr 76; 3 YG Llanhari 96; 4 Cowbridge 104; 5 Porthcawl 135; 6 YG Glantaf 147; 7 YG Cwm Rhymni B 153; 8 Llanishen 185.

Under-13 (2.8km): 1 Megan Osborne (Lwt) 10:20; 2 Caitlyn Bryant (Catdrl) 10:32; 3 Kerstin Watts (B’teg) 10:37; 4 Jessica Hegarty (B’teg) 10:42; 5 Claire Harwood (Rad) 10:44; 6 Rebecca Evans (Y Pant) 10:48; 7 Rachel Bevan (CardHS) 10:57; 8 Hannah Mittleberger(PyD) 11:01; 9 Lucy Tarrent (Lwt) 11:08; 10 Nikita John (Y Pant) 11:10; 11 Eleanor Barker (Lsn) 11:11; 12 Francesca Morris (Bed) 11:13; 13 Chloe Gore (CardHS) 11:15; 14 Fiona Bray (Cow) 11:17; 15 Anna Morris (Lsn) 11:18; 16 Catrin Griffiths (Cwm R) 11:19; 17 Bethan Dyke (B’teg) 11:19; 18 Samantha Morris (Ponty HS) 11:21; 19 Zoe Davis (P’cawl) 11:22; 20 Sophia Christopher (Y Pant) 11:23; 21 Talia Price (Cor C) 11:24; 22 Alison Singleton (Lsn) 11:32; 23 Ellen Williams (Whit) 11:33; 24 Alys Smith (YGGlan) 11:34; 25 Bronwen Edwards (YGL’hari) 11:35.

TEAM: 1 Cardiff High 78; 2 Llantwit Major 85; 3 Brynteg 91; 4 Llanishen 104; 5 Radyr 112; 6 Y Pant 130; 7 Cowbridge 146; 8 YG Cwm Rhymni 164.