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Coronni pencampwyr trêl Cymru ym Mhontarfynach

Heidiodd rhedwyr trêl gorau y wlad i Bontarfynach ar gyfer Sialens y Barcud Coch ar 27 Ebrill gyda phob un a’u bryd ar gael eu coronni’n bencampwyr Cymru.

Wrth gwrs, dim ond canran fechan o’r rhedwyr fyddai’n gadael gyda’r fraint honno, ond chwaraeodd pob un eu rhan dros ddiwrnod cyffrous o rasio ar y llwybrau.

Sefydlwyd Sialens y Barcud Coch gan Dic Evans dros 20 mlynedd yn ôl, a thros y blynyddoedd mae wedi denu rhedwyr trêl gorau’r wlad a thu hwnt i Ganolbarth Cymru. Roedd hynny’n sicr yn wir eleni, gydag un o’r casgliadau cryfaf o redwyr a welwyd yn cystadlu am bencwmpwriaethau Cymru ym mhrif ras y dydd, sef yr hanner marathon.

Cyn hynny, roedd nifer o deitlau ieuenctid i’w hennill yn y rasys dan 14 oed, dan 16 oed a dan 18 oed.  Roedd yn ddechrau ardderchog i’r diwrnod yn y ras dan 14 oed wrth i Finlay Potter o Deeside AAC hawlio’r fedal aur yn ras y bechgyn, gyda Martha Bown o Menai T&F yn dynn a rei sodlau ac yn dal gafael ar deitl y merched ar ôl ennill llynedd.

Yn y ras dan 16 oed, roedd buddugoliaeth arall i fechgyn Deeside AAC wrth i Alfie Bartley-Rose gamu i frig y podiwm, gyda’i gyfaill clwb, Zac Campbell yn ail. Roedd 1 – 2 i ferched Harriers Caerfyrddin yn ras y merched hefyd gyda Nansi Griffiths yn cipio’r aur, a’r ferch leol, Sali Owen, yn hawlio’r arian.

Roedd yn frwydr agos yn ras y bechgyn dan 18 oed. Er i arweinydd newid sawl gwaith yn ystod y ras, yr athletwr o Glwb Athletau Aberhonddu, Joe Murphy, ddaeth i’r brig yn y diwedd gydag Iwan Froley o Glwb Athletau Caerdydd yn ail, a Finlay Bruce o Gaerfyrddin yn drydydd. Yn ras y merched, Madison Hughes o Harriers Maldwyn gipiodd y fedal aur gan lwyddo i wrthio Beca Bown o Menai i’r ail safle, a Millie Pierce o Harriers Abertawe’n gorffen gyda medal efydd.

Roedd y ras dan 18 yn ras ddethol ar gyfer tîm Cymru i gystadlu yng Nghwpan Rhyngwaldol Rhedeg Mynydd dan 18 yr WMRA yn rhanbarth Monta Palencio Region, Sbaen ym mis Mehefin. Llongyfarchiadau i bawb, a phob lwc yn Sbaen!

Ymlaen i rasys yr oedolion yn y prynhawn, gyda rhedwyr yn rasio dros ddau belter – Hanner Marathon enwog a heriol Sialens y Barcud Coch, a ras fyrrach, ond ddigon heriol, oedd eleni’n Hanner Metrig (13.1k).

Roedd pencampwr dynion llynedd, Jake Tasker o Ogmore Phoenix, yn ôl i geisio amddiffyn ei deitl ond yn debygol o wynebu tipyn o frwydr gyda’r rhedwyr rhyngwladol  Math Roberts (Calder Valley), Owain Jones (Bristol & West) a Gavin Roberts (Calder Valley). Er hynny, roedd Tasker ar ben ei gêm, yn arwain y ras o’r dechrau i’r diwedd gan ddod yn Bencampwr Cymru am yr ail flwyddyn yn olynol mewn amser gwych o 1:26:36.

Y nesaf i groesi’r llinell, dros 4 munud yn ddiweddarach, oedd Owain Jones, (1:30:58) gyda Math Roberts yn hawlio’r fedal efydd mewn 1:33:08.

Roedd cyn-bencampwr y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf, Ffion Price, yn ôl i amddiffyn ei theitl hefyd ond doedd dim modd iddi efelychu Tasker. Yn hytrach, Katrina Entwistle o Bristol & West enillodd deitl Cymru gydag amser ardderchog o 1:42:37. Ar ail ris y podiwm roedd Lucy Williamson o Mynydd Du gydag Eden O’Dea o Deeside AAC yn cipio’r fedal efydd.

Yn y ras Hanner Metrig, roedd buddugoliaethau i Aled Breeze o Maldwyn Harriers ac Emma Price Harriers Prifysgol Aberystwyth i gau pen y mwdwl ar ddiwrnod cofiadwy.

“Roedd yn ddiwrnod gwych o rasio ym Mhontarfynach ac rydym yn hynod o falch ein bod weid llwyddo i ddenu cymaint o redwyr o safon uchel i ganolbarth Cymru” meddai  Cyfarwyddwr y Ras, Tom Roberts.

“Fe ddaliodd perfformiadau Jake a Katrina y llygad yn sicr wrth gipio teitlau Cymru yn yr hanner marathon, a hoffwn ddymuno’n dda iddynt wrth gynrychioli Cymru yn y Trail de Guerledan yn Llydaw mewn ychydig wythnosau, gan bod hon yn ras ddethol ar gyfer y tîm.

“Roedd hefyd yn fendigedig i weld cymaint o redwyr iau yn teithio o bob rhan o’r wlad i gystadlu, ac fe welson ni gip o sêr mawr y dyfodol yma dros y penwythnos.

“Fel pwyllgor bach o wirfoddolwyr, rydym wedi gweithio’n galed i sicrhau llwyddiant y digwyddiad yma ac yn ddiolchgar iawn am yr holl adborth gadarnhaol. Mae llawer gormod o bobl i ddiolch iddynt yn unigol am helpu gyda’r ras, ond hoffen fanteisio ar y cyfle i fynegi gwerthfawrogiad  i bawb sydd wedi chwarae rhan mewn unrhyw ffordd, ac wrth gwrs i bawb y gymrodd ran ar y dydd.”

Bydd elw Sialens y Barcud Coch yn cael ei gyfrannu tuag at Uned Chemo a Ward Strôc Ysbyty Bronglais.

Enillwyr medalau Pencampwriaeth Cymru 2024 (1/2 Marathon)

Enillwyr medalau Pencampwriaeth Gorllewin Cymru (1/2 Marathon)

Welsh trail running champions crowned at Devils Bridge

Devils Bridge played host to the Welsh Trail Running Championships on Saturday 27 April, and saw some fantastic racing over various age categories during the day.

The Red Kite Challenge, set up by local running legend Dic Evans over 20 years ago, has attracted the cream of Welsh trail running to mid Wales over the years. This was certainly true this year, with one of the strongest fields of runners seen by the race turning out to compete for the Welsh titles in the flagship senior half marathon race.

However, the day began in earnest with the junior races in the morning, with under 14, under 16 and under 18 races. It was a cracking start to the proceedings in the under 14s with Finlay Potter of Deeside AAC claiming the gold medal in the boys race, closely followed by Martha Bown of Menai Track and Field who retained her title from last year.

In the Under 16s, it was another boys victory for Deeside AAC with Alfie Bartley-Rose taking the top step of the podium ahead of teammate Zac Campbell. It was a 1 – 2 for Carmarthen Harriers in the girls race as well with Nansi Griffiths taking gold and local girl Sali Owen taking the silver.

It was a close battle in the boys Under 18 race, with the lead changing hands on a few occasions. Ultimately, Brecon AC athlete Joe Murphy came out on top ahead of Iwan Froley of Cardiff AC in second and Finlay Bruce of Carmarthen Harriers third. In the girls race, Madison Hughes of Maldwyn Harriers took the gold medal with a strong run holding off Beca Bown of Menai who took the silver ahead of Millie Pierce of Swansea Harriers.

The Under 18s race was also a selection race for the Welsh team to compete at the WMRA International U18 Mountain Running Cup in Monta Palencio Region, Spain in June.

On to the senior races in the afternoon, with runners competing over two distances – the famous gruelling Red Kite Half Marathon, and the shorter but also challenging shorter race which was this year a Metric Half (13.1k).

Last year’s male champion, Jake Tasker of Ogmore Phoenix was on the starting line hoping to retain his title, but was likely to face stiff opposition from Welsh internationals Math Roberts (Calder Valley), Owain Jones (Bristol and West) and Gavin Roberts (Calder Valley). Tasker was imperious though and led from start to finish to become Welsh Champion for the second year running in an impressive time of 1:26:36.

Next over the line was Owain Jones, over 4 minutes behind Tasker in second place (1:30:58) with Math Roberts taking the bronze medal in 1:33:08.

The defending champion, Builth & Districts Ffion Price, was also back in the women’s race but was unable to retain her crown for a third year running. Instead, it was Katrina Entwistle of Bristol and West who won the Welsh title with a fantastic time of 1:42:37. Second on the podium was Lucy Williamson of Mynydd Du ahead of Eden O’Dea of Deeside AAC who took the bronze medal.

In the non-championship Metric Half there were victories for Aled Breeze of Maldwyn Harriers and Emma Price of Aberystwyth University Harriers to round up a memorable day.

“It was a brilliant day of racing at Devils Bridge and we’re proud to have attracted such a high quality field of runners to mid-Wales” said Race Director, Tom Roberts.

“It was an impressive run by both Jake and Katrina to take the Welsh titles in the half marathon, and we’d like to wish them all the best when they represent Wales in the Trail de Guerledan in Brittany in a few weeks, which this was a trial race for.

“It’s also fantastic to see so many junior athletes travelling from all over the country to compete, and we saw some big stars of the future over the weekend.

“As a small committee of volunteers, we’ve worked hard on this event and have been very grateful for all the positive feedback. There are far too many people to thank individually for helping us ensure the success of the race, but we’d like to express our gratitude to everyone who played a part in any way, and of course for all those who took part on the day.”

The proceeds from the Red Kite Challenge will be donated towards the Bronglais Hospital Chemo Unit and Stroke Ward.

Welsh Championship meddal winners 2024 (1/2 Marathon)

West Wales Chapionship medal winners 2024 (1/2 Marathon)

 

Full results / Canlyniadau llawn:

Ras y Barcud – Canlyniadau Hanner Marathon 2024 Half Marathon Results

Canlyniadau Hanner Metrig / Metric Half Results

Ieuenctid Dan 18 oed / Juniors Under 18s

Ieuenctid Dan 16 oed / Juniors Under 16s

Ieuenctid Dan 14 oed / Juniors Under 14s

Main image: Jake Tasker crossing the finish line (Pic: Paul Stillman)