John and Michelle celebrate top sporting awards from Dame Laura Kenny
Report by Don Hale
Popular charity fundraiser, event organiser, sports promoter and athletics coach John Hatton deservedly won another prestigious trophy at the recent Conwy Sports Awards, along with an exceptional local international triathlete in Michelle Farrell.
They are both well-known local individuals in the athletics world and received their awards along with other identified sporting heroes from Olympic cycling star Dame Laura Kenny.
John Hatton later confirmed: “I was honoured and so thrilled to be the winner of the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ at the Conwy Sports Awards. I have now won four awards at the event, including Services to Sport, Best Event of the Year for the Nick Beer 10k and the Deganwy Dash.
“It’s nice to know people do appreciate what I do, which is very rewarding, Dame Laura Kenny was absolutely lovely, and so easy to talk to.”
Michelle Farrell also celebrated an incredible year on the international stage where she won a bronze medal in the World Trail marathon, a European Cross bronze, and two silver medals amongst many others.
The GOG Triathlon member has also represented Wales, and Great Britain at the highest levels and achieved some outstanding successes this year, and quite amazingly Michelle has already qualified for several of next year’s top events.
After the event Michelle said: “I am incredibly honoured and humbled to be named Conwy ‘Senior Sportswoman of the Year,’ it was a lovely surprise to be nominated, and an even bigger surprise to win!
I am very grateful to my husband John for his unwavering support and his encouragement. It has been a fantastic year, and I hope my journey can help inspire others.
“I would like to thank Ffit Conwy for the support they have given me with access to leisure facilities with the Talented Athlete Scheme and to everyone involved in making the Conwy Sports Awards such a wonderful celebration of local sporting excellence.”
Michelle’s husband John Farrell, also an impressive international veteran athlete with the GOGs, Wales, and Team GB, said: “Can I also add how incredibly proud I am of her, only I see first-hand just how much work she puts into all her multi-sports events, which take so much time running, cycling and strength work.
“But she does this as well as working in a very stressful job and not forgetting she’s a mum and wife as well. She inspires me and many around her and fully deserves this accolade.”
Teenage Karate champion Ioan heads to Italian championships
Report by Don Hale
Ioan Beards is an award-winning teenage Karate champion all set to take part next week in the Parakarate Cup Championships, a prestigious international tournament, being staged in the stunning Italian City of Venice.
This talented and inspirational 16-year-old from Deganwy will be competing in the Autism category, and he is already both the Welsh and British champion, and has high hopes of further success on 3rd December, but realises he will face some stiff competition from many keen rivals.
Ioan’s event will be held at the Palazzo Turismo, which is the location of the ‘Karatei Youth League,’ at Jesolo, Venice, and this latest venture follows hot on the heels of his recent victory as the British Champion in his category in Sheffield at the end of August, and after previously securing the top Welsh title!
Ioan, who is also a unique advertising ‘poster boy’ for this Italian competition, will be travelling overseas with colleagues, supporters, and family members, and it is understood he holds future ambitions to eventually become an Autism karate influencer.
Exciting new parkrun set to start in Llandrillo-yn-Rhos
Report by Don Hale
A brand-new parkrun is set begin this Saturday at Llandrillo-yn-Rhos, which will offer keen parkrunners another exciting and varied choice of events throughout North Wales.
This venue is one of several new parkrun initiatives planned over the coming months in the region that could help support this popular activity and spread the number of entrants amongst many other current
locations.
A very successful test run was organised last Saturday by run director Richard Peevor, and his hard-working team of volunteers and marshals, with invited runners completing a new 5k route along the prom to Porth Eirias and back, with a few extra twists and turns added.
This challenge was supported by many Porth Eirias Runners and other invited guests to test all the essential parts of a local parkrun prior to launching their first official run set for this Saturday (29th) November at 9am.
Despite battling with an unusual problem of some large sand piles along parts of the promenade following last week’s storms, Richard was very pleased with the trial run. And he later confirmed: “It really was very exciting to have the test event of our new parkrun today. It was especially nice to hear the positive feedback that we got from the test participants.
“I’m ever so grateful to Porth Eirias Runners for their support providing volunteers and runners and to my fellow run directors Sharon Hughes and Dougie Graham, and to all my friends, who we invited to join us.
“We hope this will be another successful parkrun in Conwy County, and we look forward to welcoming runners from next week, the 29th of November.
“I was sorry to see the amount of sand on the course caused by the recent storms. This is actually a relatively infrequent occurrence and hopefully the council will be able to move it in the very near future.”
NORTH WALES PARKRUN ROUND-UP
PENRHYN
Aidan Thomas was the first finisher at the Penrhyn Castle Parkrun with a new PB of 17.47, with Rhodri Williams (Cybi Striders) second in 17.55, and visitor Louis Shingles (Highgate Harriers) was third despite a new PB of 18.21.
The first female finisher was Jessica Bibby (12th overall) in 21.18, with Ellie Evans (Cybi Striders) second
in 22.18, and Rebecca Neill hot on her heels in third place with a PB in 22.21.
Sandy Johnston and John O’Shea represented NWRRC. Sandy won his VM75 age cat in 46th place in 24.43, with John running 128th in 34.24. There were 156 finishers in total.
PRESTATYN
Wrexham ACC member James Yarwood was the first man home at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn in 17.38, with Jonathan Puleston-Jones second with a new PB in 20.04, and Callum Balzaretti claimed the third spot on his debut in 20.15.
And Prestatyn RC ladies took the top two female places, with Eve Manifold first and 15th overall in 23.01, with Tilly Jones second in 25.04, and Lindsey Schofield finished third with a new PB in 25.44. There were 162 finishers.
CONWY
Numbers were down at the Conwy Parkrun with many entrants probably opting to keep their feet dry this week after the previous ‘swamp dash,’ but debutant Jos Poole managed to record a good time of 17.55, with Jonathan Kettle (NWRRC) second in 18.32, and Cameron Dawson celebrated a new PB in third place in 20.04.
Anna Drinkwater (Eryri Harriers) was the first female finisher (4th overall) in 20.05, and her club mate Kate Brocklehurst took second place on her debut in 23.42, but it was a very close finish with Abbie Robinson
narrowly third, and just one second and one place behind Kate in 23.43. There were 117 finishers in total.
NWRRC entered four members with Jonathan Kettle leading the team home and winning his VM50 age cat in second place overall in 18.32; with Steve Bozier sixth place and 1st VM45 in 20.39, whilst Karl Morris took 12th place in 23.07 and 2nd VM40, with Richard Scamans 14th and 3rd VM50 in 23.32.
Some other local results included: Tristan Owen 22nd in 24.11; Tony Parvin 33rd in 25.46; and John Stallard 52nd in 29.40.