Bell runs faster than Commonwealth champion

8:48am Wednesday 9th July 2008

At the 1982 and 1986 Commonwealth Games Kirsty Wade (McDermott) claimed three gold medals in the 800m and 1500m for Wales and was acknowledged as one of the best middle distance runners in the world.

Wade has long disappeared from the athletics scene but Pembrokeshire might have unearthed the next female to climb to the top of the rostrum.

Thirteen-year-old Lauren Bell, coached by Peter Freeman at Pembrokeshire Harriers has already run faster than the Commonwealth champion did at the same age.

The Bro Gwaun pupil, based in Fishguard showed her mature race tactics at the Celtic Schools' Indoor international in Cardiff in February, when running against athletes three years older than her from Ireland and Scotland. Making her Welsh debut, she left the opposition trailing in her wake as she won the 800metres after leading from gun to tape.

At the beginning of the outdoor season in May she ran the British Milers Club 800metres in Street and finished in 2:13.47secs. It still ranks as the fastest time for a 13-year-old in the UK and the sixth fastest in the whole Under-15 age-group.

At the Welsh Under-15 age-group championship she made a rare outing over the longer distance of 1500 metres. The race was the highlight of the day as Lauren and her great rival Hywelis Thomas-Howells of Swansea Harriers battled down the home straight. Lauren showed strength and determination to shatter her personal best with a time of 4:37.39secs; the second fastest for a 13-year-old in the UK and eighth fastest for the whole age-group.

At the Dyfed Schools' Championships she won the Year eight 800metres with a time which was six seconds inside the record which had stood for more than 20-years. For good measure she showed her versatility in also winning the 200metres.

Lauren again faced her arch-rival Hywelis at the Welsh 800 metres championships and easily became the Welsh champion for the second time.

At the Welsh Schools' Championships in Brecon last Saturday, it was another solo time-trial run in atrocious weather conditions as Lauren won the junior girls 800metres race a clear five seconds ahead of her nearest rival.

Her time was the fastest of any of the female age-groups and as a result she was selected as the youngest member for the Welsh team to compete at the Schools' track and field international at Bedford on July 19th.

Her stunning performance at Brecon earned her the Kirsty Wade trophy for the outstanding middle-distance performance at the championships.

"Lauren is an outstanding athlete," said Welsh schools' international secretary Mike Walters.

"We have often seen outstanding young talent in Wales who have disappeared from the athletics scene. Lauren however is very focused and surrounded by a team dedicated to looking after needs both on and off the track. With the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, it will provide a real target for her to try and make the Welsh team."

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