With OpenTrack creating new grassroots athletics stories all over Europe, we briefly savour what’s incoming at OT this weekend.
First of all it’s great to see a whopping 422 signed up for the 15 different events at the Welsh Athletics Junior Indoor T&F Championships in Cardiff, which means around 100 events on offer in total. The great thing about athletics is there really is something to cater for all tastes whether you want to throw a spear, or clear the proverbial moat around a castle [aka pole vault]. It’s wonderful to see so many athletes will be quadrupling up, as these kids take their first steps to what we hope is a lifetime’s involvement in the sport. There’s U17W Georgia Smele who will have a dart at the 60m, 200m, 300m and shot put. A satisfying and absorbing weekend’s work lined up for sure. Then there’s U13G Rutendo Chasweka with an LJ 200 60 & 60H to think about, or how about U13B Jude Jenkins’ gloriously varied LJ 60 800 1500? And we love the look of U15G Evan-Rae Hanniford’s LJ 60 200 800. Good luck to all for a fantastic meet. Our lavish start lists are all up for the 2 days with the eye-wateringly busy schedule, which we proud to say includes numerous ambulant and para events.
Over on the European mainland, in Estonia some 22 athletes will also be lining up indoors at the Lasnamäe Hall, Tallinn’s awesome indoor stadium; whilst over at the equally fantastic indoor stadium in Belgrade, Serbia 261 are set to compete. There is also much to anticipate in Malta with 81 signed up so far at the Marsa Sports Ground for the Preseason meeting, with 37 events on the menu. Lucky devils don’t even need to go indoors ? ;-) And when was the last time you read about athletics in the Aland Islands? Well you have now. OT have full involvement with the meet there at the weekend with 12 athletes so far [8 male, 4 female], partaking in a day of 60m racing, high jump and long jump at the Eckeröhallen.
Back closer to home the thriving Oxfordshire Cross Country League is awaiting Round 4 and a remarkable 1,220 athletes are set to descend on glorious Cotswold Park Farm, home of Adam Henson, the most famous farmer in England of the BBC’s Countryfile, where the 50+ rare breeds of British farm animals are going to do a double-take when they see 2,440 feet charging toward them!
Finally, the silver foxes, all 501 of them, will be in ferocious action at the Scottish Masters cross-country championships at Tollcross Park, Glasgow. Two races covering all age groups from M/W40-70+.
OpenTrack wishes all the above a wonderful athletic experience, and we look forward to picking out some highlights for you from the above, in the new week.