On the 1st and 2nd July, 18 Welsh junior disabled athletes will join over 200 others to compete in the Typhoo National Junior Athletics Championships. After competing in eight regional qualifiers, the 18 athletes including 9 debutants will travel from across the country to Warwick Athletics Stadium in Coventry where the Championships will take place.
Spectators will watch as the young stars participate in fiercely competitive track and field events across the weekend. The Saturday programme begins at 10am until 3.30pm, while on Sunday events will starts at 9.30am with the competition closing at around 12.30pm.
The Typhoo National Junior Athletics Championships come at a pinnacle time for disability sport in the UK, with the World Para-Athletics and IAAF World Championships taking place on home soil, in London this summer. This event will only have a positive influence on the aim to increase the number of disabled people in sport by providing opportunities for young athletes to develop their talent.
Nathan Stephens, Disability Sport Wales Talent Officer said: “Since starting my Talent Officer role for DSW in 2015, I have been keen to establish a junior team to attend the Typhoo National Junior Athletics Championships, as we hadn’t had a team at the championships for many years. It was the first athletics competition I ever competed in back in 2003; I gained so much experience from competing at these championships and they gave me a great platform to develop from, so I wanted to provide the same opportunities for the new athletes coming into the system.
This is now the third time we have had a team at this event and I am proud to say that the team has continuously developed year on year. Back in 2015 we started with 9 athletes, this year we have 18, 9 of which it will be their first ever competition representing Wales and DSW. I am proud of every single one of the athletes competing at this year’s championships. They have all been committed to the sport and their training. I know that they will do DSW proud”
Pippa Britton, Chair of Disability Sport Wales said “This is a fantastic opportunity for young athletes to be able to compete at a high level. I am sure that we will see some of the stars of the future at this event and I hope Welsh athletes really shine this year. Pob lwc pawb!
DSW continue to be grateful for the incredible ongoing support from General Dynamics. Without the support from General Dynamics young athletes would not be given the opportunity to compete at events such as the Typhoo National Junior Championships where the nation’s future champions will begin their journey through the talent programme.
The following Welsh athletes will be competing on the weekend:
Amelia Elliot – Shot put and discus
Harry Thomas – 400m, 800m and 1500m
Jack Carter – Javelin and discus
Emily Jones – 100m, 200m and long jump
Ben Barne – Shot put, javelin and discus
Megan Ashman – 100m, 200m and long jump
Caitlin Williams – 100m
Tomi-Robert Jones – 100m and 200m
Ashton Fish – 100m and 200m
Gareth Griffiths – Shot put, discus and javelin
Jonathan Bridge – 400m
Ethan Bainbridge 0 Discus
Tommy Evans – 200m, 400m and 800m
Corey Brown – 100m and long jump
Emily Jane Else – Shot put and discus
Kirsty Taylor – 100m, 200m and long jump
Kyran Bishop – Shot put
Liam Walsh - Shot put, discus and javelin
