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Chairman’s Special Award Section:
Top recognition for Lauren and Jordan
Lauren Bell – Middle Distance and Cross Country Runner
Joint Winner – Chairman’s Special Award
This year Lauren has achieved all ‘goals’ set for her in her quest to become a top middle-distance runner since her top ambition for the year was to pick up a medal in the England Athletics Under 15s Outdoor Championships at Bedford (equivalent to UK Championships) – and she won Gold. Her other achievements this year include team Gold U15 Welsh Athletics Cross Country for Pembrokeshire Harriers, selected for Welsh Schools Cross Country Team (7th in the UK Schools event), gold medal in the Welsh Indoor Under 15 300m, gold medal Welsh Indoor Under 15 800m, gold medal Welsh Indoor Under15 ,1500m, gold medal England Athletics Indoor Under 15 800m, bronze medal Welsh Outdoor U15 1500m, gold medal Welsh Outdoor 800m, gold medal Welsh Schools Championship – 800m, Team Silver Welsh Schools 300m relay in UK Schools (N Ireland), 5th position UK Schools – 800m (running against girls two years older).
Personal bests and success galore
She had new personal bests for 200m (26.1sec), 300m (41.3sec,) 800m (2mins 11sec) and she is now ranked 2nd in UK in U15 girls & 3rd overall in Wales (only two Welsh Senior Ladies ahead of her). Welsh Athletics have this season invited her (the youngest athlete yet) into their Talent Development Squad. Lauren’s athletics season started in January when she gained Welsh U15 Indoor Titles at 300m, 800m & 1500m. She won the UK Indoor 800m title at Birmingham shattering the Welsh record by over three seconds and then representing Wales, where she won Gold in the Celtic Schools U16 International at Cardiff.
Hard work pays off
Lauren’s cross country season also produced excellent results including a brilliant 7th place in the Schools International at Bangor resulting in her being the 1st Welsh athlete to finish. The outdoor season started with Gold at the Welsh U15 Champs where she broke the 800m champs record. She then took Gold at the UK Champs in Bedford winning the U15 800m title. She won the Welsh Schools 800m Champs and then represented Wales in a Schools International at Antrim. Her personal best time 2mins 11.11 secs makes her the 3rd fastest Welsh Women at 800m this season – and if Lauren can maintain her current rate of progress then we are sure to hear a great deal more of this talented young athlete in the future at high levels!
Jordan Hart - Welsh and British Badminton Champion
Joint Winner, Chairman’s Special Award
Jordan Hart’s rise through the ranks of Welsh badminton has been quite spectacular as she has linked a natural flair for the game with total commitment and willingness to learn.
Starting out with the badminton club organised by Phil Gwyther she improved with such speed that she was soon Welsh Champion at her under 15 age group as a 12 year old and retained the title for four years as no-one else could match her power, stamina and touch play. She then went on to become under 17 Welsh champion at 15 years of age and doubled this up with a gold medal at the British Under 15 championships.
Elite squad selection and international experience
She was quickly welcomed into the Elite Cymru squad, a small group of top juniors and seniors, who attend coaching sessions on a regular basis in Cardiff with the top coaches.
Jordan has already been to eight European tournaments and training camps, this season, the most recent in Slovenia, where Jordan and co pushed Wales into the top ten of European teams for the first time ever.
European medals
Jordan is still only 14 but is currently ranked Welsh number three lady and is already close to beating the others. She won her first European gold medals this year in Germany at level doubles and mixed doubles, as well as performing creditable against older opponents in the singles. In addition, she was part of the Welsh Team in the bi-annual European Championships in November, 2009, and will still be young enough to play in that event in two years time – and has already been picked for the Welsh Under 19 team for the home nation’s tournament in early 2010.
Still goes back to her roots
When not competing, Jordan trains locally every day before school and most evenings, with squad training Saturdays and Sundays in Cardiff (plus most days during the summer holidays), whilst Monday evening sees her training in Llanelli. But she still likes to come along to her starter club - Pembroke Juniors, when she's not on the road, to encourage the other players. Like Lauren Bell, the other recipient, Jordan Hart is a smashing young lady of whom Pembrokeshire can feel justifiably proud!
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