Harriers celebrate another terrific season

 

 
The Pembrokeshire Harriers celebrated a terrific 2018 season at their annual awards evening which was held at The Pavilion, on the aerodrome in Haverfordwest, with Nigel Rowland as the efficient master of ceremonies for a special celebratory occasion attended by over 100 talented young athletes and their families.
 
Nigel included the impressive statistics that in the 2018 season members of the club achieved the following:
One GB vest
Eight Welsh vests
22 Gold medals at Welsh Championships
Nine Welsh Regional champions
22 Gold Medals in West Wales Championships
34 Dyfed Schools' Champions
One British Masters Champion.
 

 
As is traditional at the awards, everyone was treated to some superb audio/visual sections, compiled by Huw Lloyd, where almost everyone representing The Harriers appeared on the large screen in some excellent still photography or a range of videos taken at a range of competitions like the Louise Arthur League or the Gerald Codd Memorial Competition that features clubs from all over South Wales and is traditionally held on the athletic track at Sir Thomas Picton School.
 

 

Another feature of the awards evening is the fact that senior athletes also turn up to support the event and also in attendance were Heather Lewis, who had represented Wales in 20K race walking at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, and James Tomlinson, the club's top discus thrower who is highly ranked amongst the world's junior throwers.
 
Both are UK representatives who already have their eyes set on their respective world championships in 2019 - but were delighted to join all the other athletes in receiving their medals to commemorate their participation as a Pembrokeshire Harrier this season.

 
Liz Rowland, who is the club secretary and high jump coach, started the evening off with an impassioned plea to the parents in attendance that they were always welcome to add to the club's growing list of coaches, administrators and general volunteers.
 
The annual awards were presented by Peter Freeman, the club president who doubles up as a middle distance coach, and Huw Morgan, who as well as being a javelin coach is The Harriers' vice-president.
 

 
Also presented was the Sulien Award for effort, given annually by his mother, Rachel Mathias, in memory of her late son, and she told the young athletes how important trying their best was if they were to achieve their potential - and the winner this year was Rhys Llewellyn.
 
Heather Lewis also received a special award for being the first Harrier to represent Wales in the Commonwealth Games and it was presented to the race walker by Bill Carne, of PembrokeshireSport.co.uk.
 
The main awards were presented to:
Under 11 Boys' Achievement: Callum White
Under 11 Girls' Achievement: Ophelia Jenkins
Under 13 Boys' Achievement: Rhys Lloyd Roberts
Under 13 Girls' Achievement: Lucy Wintle
Under 15 Boys' Achievement: Dafydd Pawlett
Under 15 Girls' Achievement: Ella Wintle
Under 17 Boys' Achievement: Wiliam Lloyd
Under 17 Girls' Achievement: Chloe Fox
Under 20/ Senior Men's Achievement: James Tomlinson
Under 20/Senior Women's Achievement: Thea Jenkins
 

 
There was also an additional set of awards supplied in memory of the late Mike Davies, from Fishguard, a former teacher in Milford Haven who supported athletics for many years - and given to young athletes who stepped in to help fill gaps in competitions, as well as competing in their own speciality events.
These were:
Under 11 Girl: Sophie Llewelyn
Under 11 Boy: William Harries
Under 13 Girl: Grace Griffiths
Under 13 Boy: Aaron Briskham
Under 15 Girl: Megan Poupard
Under 15 Boy: Iolo Griffiths
 
The evening ended with an excellent buffet enjoyed by all those in attendance, as well as a multi-prize raffle to round off another successful Pembrokeshire Awards' Event.