DYFED Schools’ athletics team once again won the overall team title at the Welsh Schools Athletic Association’s 69th Track and Field Championships, held at Cardiff International Sports Campus on 2 July.

At Cardiff the overall team trophy was presented to the two Dyfed Schools captains, Sam Bleach of Emlyn and Carys Jones of Bro Dinefwr. Overall, Dyfed Schools’ athletes won a total of 73 medals, with 19 gold, 5 silver and 39 bronze.

It is the 25th time that the region has won the Charlie Hughes Trophy since 1989, with Cardiff and Vale Schools being the only other district to have won the trophy in that period - beating Dyfed into second place in 1996, 2007, 2009 and 2014.

Hedydd Davies, Dyfed schools secretary and senior team manager for the last 20 years, thanked all the Dyfed school athletes who made the effort to compete.

“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 effort of all the members of the team,” Davies said.

“Every single one of the 80 athletes selected for Dyfed competed at Cardiff.“This year Dyfed Schools were not expected to win as Afan Nedd Tawe (Swansea and Neath/Port Talbot) were the favourites, closely followed by a very strong Cardiff and Vale schools team.

“Both these districts have a concentrated population and excellent training and competition facilities. Throughout the day Dyfed were slightly ahead of both.

“Before the relays, at the end of a seven hour competition, Dyfed were only five points ahead of Afan Nedd Tawe, but excellent relays (one second and five thirds) enabled Dyfed to win by 18 points.”

The overall standings were: 1 Dyfed 555.5; 2 Afan Ned Tawe 538; 3 Cardiff and Vale 526.5; 4 Glamorgan Valleys 359; 5 South East Wales 340; 6 Eryri 244.5; 7 Powys 227; 8 North East Wales 213.5.

Dyfed also won the senior girls’ trophy and were joint first with Afan Nedd Tawe in the junior boys. Dyfed were second in the senior boys and in the middle girls section. They were also third in the middle boys section, whilst the junior girls finished fourth out of the eight districts.

Lucy Davies of Dyffryn Taf broke the Welsh record in the Under 17s 1500m steeplechase event, and as a result she was awarded the Kirsty Wade Cup for the best track performance of the day - and the Colin Jackson Cup for the best hurdles performance in the 2016 Championships.

Many Dyfed School athletes have been chosen to compete for the Welsh schools team in the schools international match in Ashford, Kent this Saturday, 16 July.

Dyfed Scools Medal winners:

Senior Girls (Captain Carys Jones, Bro Dinefwr): Gold: Amy Carter, Coleg Sir Gar, 2000m Walk; Carys Jones, Bro Dinefwr Pole, Vault, Tasia Stephens, Coleg Sir Gar, Javelin. Silver: Jessica Bradley, STP, 1500m. Bronze: Sophie Witt, Llandovery College; Ffion Jenkins, St Michaels; Tay Osuntokun, Llandovery; Jessica Bradley STP 4 x 100m.

Middle Girls (Captain Lydia Thomas STP): Gold: Lydia Thomas, STP, 300m hurdles; Lucy Davies, Dyffryn Taf, 1500m steeplchase; Danielle Jones, Queen Elizabeth, Discus. Bronze: Alicia Samuel, Dyffryn Aman, 100m; Tegan Foley, Greenhill, 200m; Celyn Williams, Bro Dinefwr, 300m; Non Morgan, Bro Dinefwr, 1500m; Esme Greer, Greenhill, 80m hurdles; Olivia Haines, Llandovery College, triple jump; Danielle Jones, Queen Elizabeth, Shot Putt; Tegan Foley Greenhill, Alicia Samuel, Aman, Lydia Thomas STP, and Bethany Randall, Llandovery, 4 x 100m relay.

Junior Girls (Captain, Mollie Dainton Coedcae): Gold: Mollie Dainton, Coedcae, 1000m walk; Iola Williams-Jones, STP Discus. Silver: Nieve Jenkins, Dyffryn Taf Long Jump; Nieve Jenkins, Dyffryn Taf Javelin. Bronze: Lisa Cowdy, Penweddig, 200m; Nieve Roberts, Bryngwyn, 75m hurdles; Sydnee Turner, Pembroke, Shot Putt; Sara Davies, Dyffryn Teifi, Nieve Roberts Bryngwyn, Lisa Cowdy Penweddig, Siwan Jones-Evans 4 x 100m relay.

Senior Boys (Captain Sam Bleach Emlyn): Gold: Matthew Williams, Milford, 800m; Matthew Williams, Milford, 1500m; Ryan Jenkins, Aberaeron, 3000m; Aled Phillips, Dyffryn Aman, 400m hurdles; Aled Phillips, Dyffryn Aman, 2000m walk. Silver: Sam Bleach, Emlyn, Discus; Sam Bleach, Emlyn, Javelin. Bronze: Tomi Lewis, Llandovery College, 100m; Dwayne Griffiths, Dyffryn Aman, 400m; Ryan Jenkins, Aberaeron, 110m hurdles; Thomas Wyburn, High Jump; Matthew Williams Milford, Dwayne Griffiths Dyffryn Aman, Tomi Lewis Llandovery College, Corey Baldwin, Llandovery, 4 x 100m.

Middle Boys (Captain Shaun Zygadlo STP): Gold: Shaun Zygadlo, STP, 100m hurdles; James Tomlinson, Pembroke, Discus; Ben Thomas, Strade, 1500m steeplchase. Silver: Shaun Zygadlo, STP, Long Jump; Simmi Adepoje, St Michaels,Triple Jump; Joshua Thomas, Queen Elizabeth, Javelin. Bronze: Owain Nicholas, Bro Gwaune, 2000m walk; Thomas Jones, Bro Myrddin, 1500m steeplchase; Joe Worrall, Emlyn, Discus; Nicholas Jones, Bro Dinefwr Hammer; Shaun Zygadlo, STP, Aaron John, STP, Radix Mulawarman St Michaels, Eli Onyewu Dyffryn Aman 4 x 100m relay.

Junior Boys (Captain Harry Davies St Michaels): Gold: Andrew Salmon, Preseli,1000m walk; James Hill, STP, Long Jump; Joe Pritchard, STP, Triple Jump; Harry Davies, St Michaels, Discus. Silver: Harry Davies, St Michaels, Hammer; Tomos Rees, Dyffryn Aman, 1500m; William Lloyd, Preseli, High Jump; Luke Jones, Strade, Louis Fox, Queen Elizabeth, Toby Baldwin Llandovery College, Joe Pritchard STP 4 x 100 relay. Bronze: William Lloyd Preseli 80m hurdles.