The British Championships are coming to Wales (Cardiff) and will be held on the 3rd/4th July 2010 at the Cardiff Internation Sports Stadium.
This is a great opportunity for all Welsh Masters members to compete in this prestigious event.
Come along to support if not running, a great weekend of athletics.
Mark it in your diaries now...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Membership from March 1st 2010 is now £15.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ More good news about David.. he is out of hospital after 10 weeks and is now recovering at home, we wish him well and hope to see him out and about in time. (27.02.10) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dic takes on the WORLD
We wish Dic all the best as he competes in the forth coming World Masters Indoors in Kamloops Canada (1st-6th March) over 8k xc and the Half marathon.
Check out the NEW STANDARDS on the BMAF site... Should ours be adjusted ???? Your views would be welcomed on this.. (Jan 2010)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have received some good news about David... He is now out of intensive care and has been moved from Leicester Hospital to Gloucester Royal Hospital where he is making slow but steady progress. He is likely to be in hospital for a least 2 more months. (01.02.2010)
I am sure you would all like to join me in send our very best wishes to David Richards (Severn AC). David is in hospital at the moment, and has been for several weeks. We wish you a speedy recovery, from all Welsh Masters members. (15.01.2010)
At the recent Welsh Masters’ Annual Awards Dinner, Bill Kingsbury MBE, announced that he would be retiring from competition, and taking a much less active participation in the sport. Bill made it clear that for a number of reasons, not the least some serious health issues over the summer, he was bringing his participation in his beloved sport of Athletics to a close.
It is difficult to convey in a satisfactory manner exactly what Bill has contributed not only to Masters Athletics, but to Athletics in general, particularly in Wales and specifically to his beloved Rhondda AC. He has produced hundreds of Welsh Champions across all the age groups. However it is clear that from the very beginning of his sporting career as a ‘boy soldier’ and Army PTI, through the dozens of British Masters throwing records along the journey to his current 82 years of age, the nature and depth of the man’s knowledge, his determination, his dedication to his sport and particularly to those he coached, and specifically his belief in the integrity and respect that the athlete should display to others within the sport and to the sport of Athletics itself, were absolutely outstanding. He was particularly concerned that those in our sport should not only recognise special performances of excellence, but that they should also understand and respect the dedication and commitment that such athletes had to devote to their event in order to achieve that level of success. Behind his obvious geniality and natural ability to communicate with anyone, all of these core attributes always shone through
Bill Kingsbury is often described as a legend amongst those within the Welsh Masters fraternity, and within Welsh Athletics generally. While Bill himself might say that this description was inappropriate, as he was more interested in the successes of those around him, it is probably one that few within the sport in Wales would disagree with.
The above is taken from an appreciation of Bill that will appear in full in the March edition of Masters Athletics.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The catering college at the Aberdare Hall was once again the venue for the Welsh Masters Social Evening, which took place on Friday 27th November. It was very well attended with members from Rhondda, Swansea, Newport, Port Talbot, Bridgend and Cardiff. Also present were several officials who have been of great supported to Welsh Masters Athletics.
The evening got under way with everyone gathering in the lounge and at 8..15pm all proceded through into the dining room for a buffett meal prepared by the college catering students, once again the buffett was up to it's high standards. After all had all eaten we retired to the lounge for the main business of the evening.
Mel James (Chairman) opened the proceedings with an overall view of Welsh Masters achievements through 2009 from domestic to international level. Congratulations were given to the Welsh Team who recently competed in the British & Irish Cross Country, one of our best results to date. Brian Webb then spoke of how well the Track & Field championships and evening league meetings had been. Cups were then presented to Rhondda ladies and Newport men for winning there respective leagues, along with plaques to Anna Follen(Rhondda), Helen Cole(Rhondda), Derek Osborne(Brecon) and Geoff Miller(Newport) for being top age group points scorers in the league meetings.
The Dave Williams memorial trophy was presented by Mel James to a very surprised Val Davison, a starter, who over many years has been a loyal supporter of Welsh Masters Athletics. Bill Kingsbury MBE then took the floor and entertained us with his general observations of Welsh Masters Athletics, during which he announced his retirement from competitive competition bring to an end an unbroken involvement of over SEVEN decades. He went on to pay a moving tribute to Mary Webb who sadly passed away in July, and who over the past 15 yars had been the organiser of the social evening before presenting the Bill Kingsbury Shield to Mary, husband Brian and daughter Sue received the shield on Mary's behalf.
Welsh hammer thrower Cerys Parry (not quite a Master) and John Howe, payed tribute to Bill for his contributions to Welsh athletics, especially the throwing events.
Folling this, friendly conversation took over and thus bring to a close another successful and enjoyable evening.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well done John (Collins) on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Welsh Athletics
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Welsh Master comes home with Bronze
Congratulations must go to Alyson Hourihan (W45) who picked up a Bronze medal at the World Masters Championships (Lahti) in the Discus. Alyson who competed in six events, also broke the British Record in the throws pentathlon where she finished in 4th place.
Alyson is also a level 3 throws coach with Cardiff AAC
Well done Alyson
Well done to Satu Haikala (Brecon) who also travelled to Lahti for the World Masters Championships. Satu competed in the 8km Cross-Country race (W40) and finished 10th, 2nd GB runner home, and picked up a Gold medal in the team race.
Thank you to all who participated in the Track & Field League meetings, we hope you enjoyed them. Any feed back would be useful, only useful feed back please.....And a special thanks to the officials without you we would have no meetings.
