On the 12th and 13th July Wales took a team of talented young athletes to the British Junior Athletics Championships in Warwick. This is the first time in 7 years that Disability Sport Wales have attended the British Junior Athletics Championships. The likes of Nathan Stevens, James Ball, James Ledger, Aled Davies and Jenny Mcloughlin have all previously attended these games.

This year the games were held at Warwick University where Wales had a small but an amazingly talented young group. The 6 athletes were competing for the very first time at this event and for some it was their first real competition.

The Disability Sport Wales Juniors were Connor Heath, aged 11 and Grace Rowley 13 from Carmarthenshire, Kimberley Mellor 11, Caitlin Williams 11 and Megan Ashman 10 from Ceredigion and Emily Hacker 13 Torfaen were led by Team Manager and Paralympian Nathan Stephens and assistant manager Gemma Cutter supported by volunteers Alanah Powell, Char Stephens, Libby Murphy and Rachel Randell.

Nathan Stephens said “As my first attempt at Team Manager I am extremely proud of all our athletes and their performances at their first ever National Junior Championships. Each and every athlete shows great promise for the future. Well done once again to the next generation of Welsh Paralympic Athletes”. As with tradition the athletes did Wales proud by producing some amazing results. The team took home 6 Track Gold’s and 9 Field Gold’s and 1 Silver, 16 New Junior Personal Best Performances were recorded.

Anthony Hughes Disability Sport Wales Performance Manager said “It’s with great pride that I watched the new generation of talented young people from across wales to compete here this weekend. These youngsters have once again shown that if you have the talent and despite your age you should be at major events like this; this has been the testing ground for us to determine and shape our junior academy programme. A talent identification programme is being put in place to find the next generation of welsh para international athletes and already I’m convinced we have unearthed some potential Paralympic and deaflympic champions”

Results:

Track Events:

Caitlin William T35 60m Gold PB

Kim Mellor100m T37 Gold PB

Grace Rowley T46 100m Gold PB

Megan Ashman T44 100m PB

Grace Rowely T46 400m Gold new PB

Grace Rowely T46 200m Gold new PB

Field Events:

Conner Heath F44/57 Discus Gold PB

Emily Hacker F37 Javelin Gold PB

Conner Heath F44/57 Javelin Gold PB

Megan Ashman F44 Shot Gold PB

Emily Hacker F37 Shot Gold PB

Caitlin Williams F35 Shot Gold PB

Conner Heath F44/57 Seated Shot Gold PB

Kimberly F37 Shot Gold PB

Emily Hacker T37 Discus Gold PB

Kimberly T37 Discus Silver PB

Track Medals:- 6 Golds

Field Medals:- 9 Golds 1 Silver  Total Medals:- 16

Set 15 New Junior Personal Best performances