DOLERW Park in Newtown was the only place to be on Saturday as the Powys venue hosted the combined Welsh Inter-Schools & Colleges / Inter-Regional Cross Country Championships.

Hundreds of athletes from across Wales made the pilgrimage to Newtown to take part in the high profile event with members of the Newtown-based Maldwyn Harriers Athletics Club among the organisers on the day.

East Wales prevailed overall winners with 224 points, just two points clear of South Wales while West Wales ended third with 193 and North Wales completed the rankings in fourth place with 159 points.

Action from the Welsh Inter-Schools & Colleges / Inter-Regional Cross Country Championships. (Image: Bob Benyon.)

Action from the Welsh Inter-Schools & Colleges / Inter-Regional Cross Country Championships. (Image: Len Stillman Photography.) OTHER NEWS:

Action from the Welsh Inter-Schools & Colleges / Inter-Regional Cross Country Championships. (Image: Len Stillman Photography.) Action from the Welsh Inter-Schools & Colleges / Inter-Regional Cross Country Championships. (Image: Len Stillman Photography.) The School Years 7/8 (U13 Girls) race saw Llanidloes High School shine with Heledd Rowlands, Teleri Rowlands, Monique Brandon-Higgs and Ella Calvin-Thomas helping their school top the individual school class.

School Years 9/10 (U15 Girls) also saw Llanidloes High School impress with a third place finish in the individual school class thanks to the efforts of Freya Lamp, Lily Calvin-Thomas, Bethan Evans and Emily Kielty.

Action from the Welsh Inter-Schools & Colleges / Inter-Regional Cross Country Championships. (Image: Bob Benyon.) Members of Maldwyn Harriers Athletics Club. (Image: Len Stillman Photography.) The School Years 11 – 14 (U17 & U20 Men) race saw two Maldwyn Harriers impress with Llanfyllin High School’s Matthew Benson and Llanidloes’ Ben Gethin helping North Wales to a second place finish overall while Maddie Hughes ended second in the girls under 17s race.

Jenny Farrow of Builth and District Running Club ended eighth in the senior women’s race while Annabel Harford of Brecon AC claimed third place in the women’s over 55s class and Chris Thomas of Builth and District Running Club ended third in the women’s over 65s race.

Action from the Welsh Inter-Schools & Colleges / Inter-Regional Cross Country Championships. (Image: Len Stillman Photography.)

Action from the Welsh Inter-Schools & Colleges / Inter-Regional Cross Country Championships. (Image: Bob Benyon.) Wyndham Turner of Builth and District Running Club claimed third place in the men’s over 35s race.

The venue also hosted a primary school event which saw junior runners take to the field.

Action from the Welsh Inter-Schools & Colleges / Inter-Regional Cross Country Championships. (Image: Len Stillman Photography.)

Maddie Hughes ended second in her age grade at the Welsh Inter-Schools & Colleges / Inter-Regional Cross Country Championships. (Image: Bob Benyon.) Newtown’s Dafydd Llwyd School won the Year 3/4 boys and girls team category, led home by Jac Roberts-Watkins in the boys class while the Year 3/4 girls race saw Guilsfield’s Lily Dolby end on the podium in second place.

Lucas Pugh of Rhayader was the top Powys finisher in the Year 5/6 boys race, crossing the line in fifth spot while Evie Watkin of Ysgol Rhiw Bechan ended eighth in the girls’ race.