Cardiff Met Athletes Celebrate successful Victories

Cardiff Met Athletes are celebrating after successful wins at both the Welsh Universities Championships and Non Thomas event. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Cardiff Met cross country team triumphed with a clean sweep at the Welsh University Cross Country championships and took home both individual titles which helped the team secure the team titles. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Human nutrition and dietetics student, Lucy Marland made her Welsh debut at the championships and won the women’s gold title with great support from her team. Jon Hopkins, who is studying BSc sport biomedicine and nutrition defended his title and took home the men’s gold title, while fellow team mate MSc sport coaching student, Josh Griffiths was hot on his heels and took home the silver. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Welsh Universities Cross County championships were held within the Cardiff Cross Challenge at Blackweir Park and act as a warm up to the British Universities and College Sports (BUCS) championships, which take place throughout February. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In addition to the cross country triumphs, Cardiff Met athlete and sport management student, Chris Baker was honoured with the ‘Non Thomas Performance of the Meeting award’ for his 2.24m high jump clearance, as well as 3 close attempts at 2.27m. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Non Thomas Open is one of three Indoor GP meetings that Cardiff School of Sport organise and sees over 1000 entries across them. The Non Thomas Open is named in honour of Non Thomas who was a Cardiff Met lecturer and former international athlete. Non’s husband, Roger Thomas and her two children did the honours of presenting Chris Baker with his award. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Jamie Thie, performance director of athletics for Cardiff Met, said: “We are very proud of all the Cardiff Met athletes who were successful over the weekend. The cross country team did Cardiff Met proud by winning the individual and team titles, which is a great start for the BUCS championships in February, and Chris Baker was brilliant at the Non Thomas Open. His high jump was superb and the award was very deserving. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We were delighted that Non’s husband, Roger and their two children were able to present the award to Chris. It was a fantastic moment, and we want to thank everyone who took part and got involved. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The successes over the weekend are testament to all the hard work our athletes do and we are confident they will continue to do well in their respective sports.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​