A reformed athletics club is celebrating on-field success despite having only limited access to a running track.
Rhymney Valley AC athletes competed in the fourth match day of the Welsh Junior U15 League East Division in Cardiff on Saturday July 9, and upset the odds to finish the league in third place.
Bested only by Cardiff Amateur AC and Cardiff Archers, Rhymney Valley finished higher than the more experienced Newport Harriers and Cwmbran Harriers clubs, and qualified for the Welsh U15 League Cup Final on Sunday August 21 in Newport.
Rhymney’s qualification signifies a special feat considering their lack of facilities in comparison to their fellow competitors.
The club, initially established in the 1970s, was reformed in September 2013, and in May 2014 moved from its home at Bargoed Park to Blackwood Comprehensive School after a deterioration in the condition of the track at the former venue.
However, the only specific athletics facility at the school is the 200 metre grass track marked out on the rugby pitch, available to the club between May and September, with no space to practise field events or long-distance races.
Regardless, juniors defied any limitations in the field events as Cerys Radcliffe took top spot in the U11 Girls long jump, and Caitlin Seaborne finished second in the same age group shot-put.
Elliot Lewis finished third in the U13 Boys javelin, just above club-mate Daniel Greenway, while Mille Carter topped the U15 Girls high jump at 1.5m.
Rhymney Valley Athletics Club has been supported by Sports Development at Caerphilly County Borough Council, and Welsh Athletics, and have benefitted from several grants, including £1,500 in Community Chest funding from Sport Caerphilly.
Ruth Powell, Club Chairman, said: “Our vision was to be a vibrant athletics club for the local community and provide children with the opportunity to experience athletics.
“We worked towards covering all disciplines and providing the training for any willing volunteer.
“The belief that we have is that our amazing athletes and coaches are performing outstandingly, even without a track facility, so imagine what they could achieve with one.”
Rhymney Valley Athletics Club currently has over 200 junior members who train on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.