DYFED Schools retained the overall title at the 70th Welsh Schools National Athletics Championships at Cardiff.

The team, representing Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Llanelli, has won the trophy 24 times since 1989, with Cardiff and Vale Schools being the only other district to have won the Charlie Hughes Trophy in that period.

Some 80 athletes represented Dyfed at Cardiff, and the team was up against a very strong Cardiff and Vale team, Afan Nedd Tawe and five other Welsh Districts.

Dyfed was behind the Afan Nedd Tawe schools team for most of the day, but came through strongly to win by 17.5 points.

Results: 1 Dyfed 529; 2 Afan Nedd Tawe 511.5; 3 Cardiff and Vale 471; 4 South East Wales 311.5; 5 Glamorgan 309; 6 Eryri 2447;7 North East Wales 233; 8 Powys 225.

The Dyfed athletes also won the senior girls and senior boys team trophies.

In the junior boys and middle boys team sections Dyfed came second and third in the Junior and middle girls sections.

The overall team trophy was presented to Dyfed team captains Matthew Williams, of Milford, and Carys Jones, of Bro Dinefwr, by Gareth Oldham, chairman of the Welsh Schools Athletic Association.

Hedydd Davies, the Dyfed Schools secretary and senior team manager for the last 21 years, said: “I’d like to thank all the Dyfed School athletes who made the effort to compete for the District in Cardiff.

“Their efforts upheld the fine tradition of Dyfed in these Championships, and the success of Dyfed Schools once again was due to the commitment and efforts of all the members of the team. Several members on the day had also volunteered at short notice to fill in gaps in the team.”

Special thanks went to Pembrokeshire Harriers members, Jo Salmon, Jane Wheeler, Liz Rowland, Gareth Elliott, Jonathan Phillips and Carmarthen Harriers members Nathan Jones and Delyth Rees for assisting with administrative duties and field event officiating on the day.

Several Dyfed school athletes have now been chosen to compete for the Welsh Schools team in the schools international match in Dublin on Saturday, 15 July.

DYFED Schools athletes won a total of 65 medals (15 gold, 29 silver and 21 bronze):

Results: Senior Girls (Captain Carys Jones, Bro Dinefwr): Gold: Carys Jones, Bro Dinefwr Pole Vault; Ffion Jenkins, St Michaels 400 Hurdles. Silver: Lucy Omnet, Pembroke 1500; Tegan Foley, Greenhill 100; Tegan Foley, Greenhill 200; 4 x 100 Relay Tegan Foley, Gwen Griffiths, Llandovery College, Gwen Griffiths, Llandovery College and Sophie Hutchison, Dyffryn Aman. Bronze: Ellie Kiff, Bro Dinefwr 3000; Ellie Kiff, Bro Dinefwr 800; Olivia Haines, Llandovery College Triple Jump; Amy Evans, Coleg Sir Gar Javelin; Gwen Griffiths, Llandovery College Shot Putt.

Middle Girls (Captain Alicia Samuel, Dyffryn Aman and Amy Rothero STP): Gold: Thea Jenkins, Dyffryn Taf High Jump; Danielle Jones, Queen Elizabeth, Discus; Mollie Dainton, Coedcae Walk. Bronze: Niamh Roberts, Coedcae 300 Hurdles; Alicia Samuel, Dyffryn Aman 100 4x 100 Relay; Alicia Samuel, Dyffryn Aman, Amy Rothero STP, Celyn Williams Bro Dinefwr, Lisa Cowdy, Penweddig.

Junior Girls (Captain Lili Church, Aberaeron): Gold: Lili Church, Aberaeron High Jump. Silver: Daisy Thompson, Bro Myrddin 800; Kasia Cook, Llandovery College Walk. Bronze: Flavia Jenkins, Dyffryn Taf 75 Hurdles, and Lili Church, Aberaeron, Javelin.

Senior Boys (Captain Matthew Williams, Milford): Gold: Matthew Williams, Milford 800, James Tomlinson, Pembroke Discus, David Evans, STP 2000 steeplechase, Nathan James, Coleg Sir Gar Javelin. Silver: Sean Collins, Llandovery College 100; Simi Adepoje St Michaels, High Jump; Simi Adepoje, St Michaels Triple Jump; Thomas Jones, Bro Myrddin 3000; Aaron John, STP 400; 4 x 100 Relay Aaron John, STP, Sean Collins, Llandovery College, Matthew Williams, Milford, Patryk Ganclerz, Coleg Sir Gar. Bronze: Patryk Ganclerz, Coleg Sir Gar 200; Morgan Llewellyn Dyffryn Aman 1500; David Evans STP 400 Hurdles; Sean Collins Llandovery College 100.

Middle Boys (Captain Joe Worrall, Emlyn): Gold medals: Ben Thomas, Strade 1500 steeplechase, Owain Nicholas, Bro Gwaun Walk. Silver: Joe Worrall, Emlyn Discus; Iestyn Williams, Bro Dinefwr 1500; Haydn Davies, Bro Dinefwr 100 Hurdles; Caleb Nicholas, Preseli High Jump; Will Lloyd, Preseli 400 Hurdles; 4 x 100 Relay Haydn Davies, Bro Dinefwr, Eli Oneyewu, Dyffryn Aman, Will Lloyd Preseli, Toby Baldwin, Llandovery College. Bronze: Andrew Salmon, Preseli Hammer; Ollie Wheeler, Greenhill Long Jump.

Junior Boys (Captain Harry Davies, St Michaels): Gold: Harry Davies, St Michaels Hammer; Harry Davies, St Michaels Discus; Iwan Glynn, Bro Myrddin 800. Silver: Joseph Reynolds, Milford 300, Jack Gordon, Maes y Gwendraeth, Shot Putt. Bronze: Henry White, Walk, Andreas Hedd-Ellis, Emlyn Long Jump.