A CLASS APART
UNBEATEN THIS YEAR AS AN UNDER-17, BETHAN REES TELLS EMILY MOSS HER GOALS
Bethan Rees: victories in 2016 include the English Schools, SIAB Schools International and England Athletics Championships
WELSH under-17 500g and 600g javelin record-holder Bethan Rees was undefeated in her age group in Britain this year and, having been Welsh champion in her category every year since 2011, the 16-year-old is no stranger to winning.
Her 50.64m launch at an international throws meeting in Portugal in July also places her second on the UK all-time under-17 list with the 500g implement. The only athlete above her, incidentally, is her training partner and the UK’s top under-20 javelin thrower this year, Emma Hamplett, who in 2014 threw 57.14m as an under-17.
Credit should be given to the girls’ coach at Cannock & Stafford AC, Mark Pinner, as Emma and Bethan are not only the top two under-17 athletes of all-time, but also the respective senior and intermediate javelin champions from this year’s English Schools.