Cardiff's 21 year old Joe Thomas saw off the British opposition, including World Championship semi finalist Michael Rimmer, in taking a fine third place in the British Grand Prix at Gateshead today. Wearing his distinctive Cardiff vest, Joe also convincingly beat World's final eighth placer Marcin Lewandowski and was narrowly beaten in the dash to the finish line by winner Nick Simmonds (6th in the World's final). In blustery conditions, Joe's time was a great 1:47.44 against Symmonds' 1:47.30 and second placed, Kenyan Geoffrey Reno's 1:47.43.
Cardiff AAC athletes are well represented in the Welsh team to take part in the UK Schools Games in Cardiff on Saturday and Sunday next, 5th and 6th September. The Schools Games are a mini Olympics for schools and include 10 sports over four days. There will be an hour's opening ceremony in Cardiff Bay (Roald Dahl Plass) on Thursday evening, 3rd September at 8.30pm to which admission is free.
Welsh Athletics has appointed American John Dagata as Head of Coaching for Wales. Mr Dagata leaves his post as coach to Iowa State University and will take up his new position in September. He will be responsible for developing coaching in Wales at all levels, from grassroots to elite. John Dagata is qualified in throws, jumps and sprints and specialises in speed and power.
As winners of the Welsh Under 15 league, South East Wales, the Cardiff AAC team travelled to Brecon on Sunday, 23 August for the Welsh League Cup Final. The team managed a creditable fourth place out of the top eight Welsh clubs behind first placed Carmarthen Harriers. Swansea Harriers were second and Pembroke H third. Carmarthen have won this title on numerous occasions but only narrowly held on to their title, beating Swansea by only 39 points (1154 to 1015).
In his world record breaking 200m, Usain Bolt was timed over the first 100m at 9.92sec and over the second 100m at, wait for it, 9.27sec. The IAAF today said that it had requested the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) to test Usain Bolt to ascertain that he was human. This followed rumours and innuendos from fellow athletes and their coaches that the Jamaican was, in fact, an alien being. “These performances are out of this world,” said one sprinter. “The guy ain't human,” said another. “I mean he runs faster than I drive,” said the grandmother of another 200 metre finalist.
Cardiff AAC are the champions of the British Athletics League Division Two, but only just after a dramatic conclusion to the season at Kingston. Inspired by Christian Malcolm, who was named BAL man of the match, Cardiff were crowned champions on points difference, winning the title by 36.5 points from Blackheath & Bromley who were promoted alongside them.
It will be a nervous afternoon for the Cardiff AAC British League men’s team tomorrow, 22 August, at Kingston where the fourth and final round of the 2009 series takes place. We start the day in second place overall, 2 points clear of our old rivals Thames Valley Harriers, and one behind Blackheath. Two teams only are guaranteed promotion and the final match takes place in London!
For the past five days, the eyes of the athletic world have been focused on Berlin and the World Athletics Championships. Amongst the spectators in the Olympic stadium has been the select group of the club’s “Cardiff on Tour” who were there from the first moment of competition last Saturday and will be there until the closing ceremony next Sunday.
Tomorrow evening, Saturday, in Berlin, Rhys Williams will settle into his starting blocks for the first round of the 400m hurdles at the IAAF World Championships. This will mark the high spot of his first full year of competition since taking the Bronze medal at the European Championships in Gothenburg 1n 2006. The 400m hurdles, as all world championship events, will be tough with a clutch of top athletes from the USA and elsewhere. The entry list contains 34 athletes from 23 countries so Wales can be proud to have 2 (Rhys and Swansea's Dave Greene).
On the eve of the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, something different. Wilson Kipketer is the world record holder over 800m and one of the most stylish runners the world has seen. He took Seb Coe's record that many thought would itself be the ultimate. Tony Ward was a middle distance coach and is a provocative commentator on athletics. He has written an interesting article on the importance of speed in middle distance running which is reproduced in full. Click more to read it.