After the Welsh Schools’ National Track and Field Championships in Cardiff, it was the turn of Dyfed’s top school teams to impress at the NASUWT Cymru Cup Finals at Penlan Arena, Brecon.

Ysgol Aberaeron and Ysgol y Preseli, Crymych, both represented Dyfed, having won their age groups in the District final, held last month at Haverfordwest.

A total of 37 schools and 64 teams from eight districts, including Afan Nedd Tawe, Cardiff and Vale, Dyfed, Eryri, Glamorgan Valleys, North East Wales, Powys and South East Wales, had qualified to compete at the national finals.

In the national Under 14s Boys’ Cup competition, the Aberaeron team of Harry Bromley, Taylor Richardson, Josh Tudball, Rhys Jenkins, Finlay Tarling, Jenson Lloyd, Gruff Crimes, Finley Nicholson, Ifan Rishko achieved fourth place overall.

There were podium performances from Josh Tudball, who won the gold in the 300m in a time 40.60; Rhys Jenkins who was second in the 800m in a time of 2.30.64; Jensen Lloyd who was third in the 75m hurdles in 12.86; and Finlay Tarling who took third in the 1,500m in 4.48.89.

Gruff Crimes was fourth in the high jump with 1.40; Finley Nicholson fifth in the discus with 21.95; Taylor Richardson fifth in the 200m in 27.80 and seventh in the long jump with 4.14; Ifan Rishko fifth in the javelin with 26.52; Harry Bromley seventh in the 100m in 13.89; and Jenson Lloyd seventh in the shot put with 9.57.

The Aberaeron relay team of Harry Bromley, Taylor Richardson, Jensen Lloyd and Josh Tudball finished fourth.

Meanwhile in the Under 14s Girls’ Cup, the Ysgol y Preseli team of Megan Cole, Mali Murray, Marged Harries, Lucy Wintle, Ffion Ouseley, Lleucu Lloyd, Elen Hill and Storm Evans achieved second place - missing out by just two points to Ysgol Glantaf.

Lucy Wintle won gold in both the 800m in 2.26.78 and the high jump with 1.45; whilst Lleucu Lloyd won gold in the javelin with 31.38 and silver in the 70m hurdles in 11.40. Storm Evans won silver in the discus with 23.99; Ffion Ouseley won silver in the 1,500m in 5.18.74 and Lucy Wintle, Megan Cole, Lleucu Lloyd and Ffion Ousely also won the gold medal in the relay.

Also scoring team points were Mali Murray sixth in the 200m in 30.50; Marged Harries sixth in the 300m 50.49; and Megan Cole fifth in the 100m in 14.19.

Dyfed was also represented by Haverfordwest High School, who were fourth in the Under 16s Boys’ Cup competition and Queen Elizabeth High School finished seventh in the Under 16s Girls’ Cup.

Ysgol Coedcae were second in the Under 14s Girls’ Plate competition, Queen Elizabeth High School were second in the Under 16s Girls’ Plate, Queen Elizabeth School fourth in the Under 14s Boys’ Plate; and Ysgol Dyffryn Taf second in the Under 14s Girls’ Plate.

The Dyfed teams had travelled to Brecon to compete with the best in the country, and one performance of note was from Morgan Batten, of Dyffryn Taf, who threw a new Championship best of 48.02m in the U16 boys’ javelin competition.

The winning team in each of the four sections of the Cup Final and the winning team in each of the four sections of the Plate were awarded the Victory Shield.

The Charlie Hughes Trophy was also up for grabs for the best overall School Team performance on the day - and this headed back to the Welsh capital for the third year in succession.

Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf, Cardiff won three out of the eight Cup and Plate categories, and as a result they retained the overall trophy for 2019. The other Cup and Plate winners were Whitchurch High School and Cardiff High School, with two wins each, and Radyr Comprehensive.