Top Athletes Heading To Swansea As Harriers Host Opening BAL Fixtures

Some of Britain’s top club and international athletes will descend on Swansea this Sunday as the city hosts the first fixtures in this summer’s British Athletics League.

Swansea University’s athletics track is the venue for a combined men’s Premiership and Division One fixture.

The home club, Swansea Harriers, will compete in the Division One match against the likes of City of Liverpool AC, Thames Valley Harriers and Southampton AC.

Meanwhile there will also be Welsh interest in the eight-team Premiership fixture where local rivals Cardiff Athletics will be taking on some of the giants of British athletics, including reigning BAL champions Birchfield Harriers.

Swansea Harriers’ British Men’s League team manager David Jones, says hosting the fixture is a huge coup for the club, which was relegated from the Premiership last season.

Cardiff’s Jeremiah Azu competing in last season’s BAL fixture in Cardiff.

“This is probably the first time Swansea has ever hosted a Premiership and Division One on the same day. It’s probably the biggest club meeting we have ever hosted. It’s a really prestigious occasion for us.

“We have got the top club teams in the whole of Britain. You don’t get bigger athletics club competitions in this country. So we’re really looking forward to it.”

The Swansea men’s team hope hosting the opening fixture of the season will give them the perfect start to their bid to return to the top flight, says Jones.

“We went up to the Premiership last year, for the first time ever. The first match clashed with the Universities championships so we lost half our team and never really recovered.

“But we are really hoping now, particularly starting the season at home, that we can kick off with a win in the first round.

“We have got some very good athletes competing for us, although some people like our top distance runner Dewi Griffiths, who has just run the London marathon, won’t be available. He’s just been selected for Great Britain team for the World Championships.

Swansea Harriers javelin thrower Nathan James.

“But we are very strong in the field events, particularly in the shot and javelin and the long jump and triple jump.

“So we’re hoping to get almost maximum points in those events. We’ve also got a very strong middle distance squad which has traditionally been Swansea’s strength.

“We’re hoping we can score good points in every event, that’s what it’s all about, not just winning so many events, it’s about being consistent across the events.”

Jones is hoping the matches will attract a big crowd to enjoy a day of top quality athletics and cheer along the Welsh clubs.

“It’s free to come and watch and there’s a big grandstand there,” said Jones. “The more the merrier, come and support the Welsh teams.

“Cardiff have also got a very strong team. I should imagine they will be hoping to get off to a good start as it’s more or less a home fixture for them as well.

Swansea Harriers will be hoping for strong points from Patrick Swan on Sunday.

“Some of the English clubs, particularly in the Premiership are really hot, they are loaded not just with English internationals, but British internationals as well.

“It’s a very high standard, it’s the pinnacle of club athletics in Britain.”

The day’s action starts at 10am with the Premier League hammer competition and is due to finish with the excitement of the 4x400m relays at 5.25pm.

More information about the day’s schedule and full event details can be found on the Swansea Harriers website.