Gracie Griffiths Smashes 41-Year-Old Record In Aberdare Pilot Event

By Owen Morgan

The latest Welsh Athletics pilot event witnessed the smashing of a 41-year-old Welsh record along with a number of other excellent individual performances.

Gracie Griffiths, of Pembrokeshire Harriers, broke the Welsh Under-15 3,000m walk record of 16:08.4, set by Karen Nipper, of Roath WC, in the Netherlands way back in 1979.

Griffiths clocked a new best time of 15:53.97, as she followed in the footsteps of Pembrokeshire club mate Heather Lewis, who holds the Under-20 Welsh records at 3,000m and 5,000m and will be competing for the British Senior title in Manchester next weekend.

The overall mixed 3K race walk was won by Cardiff’s Daniel McKerlich in a big personal best of 15:15.14.

 

Well done to Gracie who is one of the first from pembrokeshire Harriers to return to competition. Not only was she the first, but she also smashed her PB and got Welsh Record in the U15G 3K Race-walk which stood for 51 years prior. 🥇💪🏻🏃🏽‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/TCNh7WInuH

— Pembrokeshire Harriers (@PembsHarriers) August 29, 2020

Like the previous sprints and throws pilot events held at senior and junior level, Saturday’s endurance event in Aberdare was held under the new COVID-19 restrictions.

But that didn’t hamper performances as more than 70 athletes competed in races over 800m, 1500m and 3,000m as well as the 3K walk.

The fastest 800m time of the day was clocked by Carmarthen Harrier Iestyn Williams, who stopped the clock in 1:58.51, ahead of his team-mate Liam Edwards in 1:59.28, which was a new personal best for the Under-17 athlete.

The fastest female 800m time of the day was clocked by Swansea Harrier Jodi Beynon, who claimed a big PB of 2:23.25.

The fastest man across the five 3,000m races was Swansea Harrier Guy Smith, who clocked a time of 8:25.53.

James Heneghan was the fastest athlete over 1500m at Saturday’s endurance pilot event.

The quickest female was Cardiff AC’s Lucy Marland who slashed almost a minute off her previous best with a time of 9:52.41.
Cardiff’s James Heneghan has been in outstanding form post lockdown having already set new PBs over 800m and 1500m in recent weeks.

On Saturday, he clocked the fastest 1500m time of the day when he posted 3:57.08, while Moli Lyons was the fastest female over the distance on the day, clocking 4:45.79.

There were a number of other notable performance across the day including.

Full results can be found on the Welsh Athletics website.