Lauryn Davey is making her mark in athletics - but needs sponsors
Ammanford-based Lauryn Davey is making a major mark in the world of Welsh athletics.
At just 16, she is the best all-round athlete of her age in Wales.
She's chalking up Welsh championship victories and has been honoured by her club, the Carmarthen Harriers.
Lauryn's been earmarked as a future international star, but knows the road to the big championships is difficult, demanding and expensive.
Ammanford businessman and well-known comic entertainer Phil Evans has launched a campaign to get cash backers for Lauryn's athletics career.
"Everyone in the area is hugely proud of her achievements in athletics to date," said Phil.
"But we also want to see her go on and do bigger and better things.
"Together with some friends, I am helping find ways of generating much-needed sponsorship cash for Lauryn.
"She has massive potential to succeed on the international stage and I am sure a little bit of financial help will help to smooth her passage to even more success on the athletics stage."
Here's a synopsis of Lauryn’s achievements so far . . .
She is now 16 (DOB 27/3/1989) and competes at the under 17 age level.
She is now 16 (DOB 27/3/1989) and competes at the under 17 age level.
She took up triple jump in February 2015 as an alternative individual event to high jump, at which she had previously been Welsh age group champion and schools champion.
Within six months of starting triple jump, she is the most promising female triple jumper Wales have had for many years.
She won her age group Welsh Championship easily and she took the bronze medal at the Schools International with a leap of 11 metres 42cm, which is the fifth longest by a junior in the UK this year.
Her first Welsh championship was when she won the under 15s Welsh Indoor Combined Events championships.
Her first Welsh championship was when she won the under 15s Welsh Indoor Combined Events championships.
This qualified her to compete for Welsh schools in the four nations schools tournament at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, which she has done every year since (three times), and (injury permitting) will do again this December (2015).
She also won the outdoor event in Newport.
Combined events is the junior precursor to the senior heptathlon for women and decathlon for men.
The athletes compete in five events in one day, namely the high jump, long jump, sprint hurdles, shot and 800 metres.
The 200 metres and javelin are added from this year for the outdoor competitions, and all senior competitions for all major championships are seven events over two days.
Lauryn has also been Welsh Schools and Welsh Athletics high jump champion several times and is currently Welsh Schools and Welsh Athletics triple jump champion.
Lauryn has also been Welsh Schools and Welsh Athletics high jump champion several times and is currently Welsh Schools and Welsh Athletics triple jump champion.
She also has potential to develop over 400 metre hurdles in the future.
Essentially, therefore, she has to train for nine events, these being the seven heptathlon events plus the triple jump and the 400 metres hurdles.
She has represented Wales in Glasgow, Dublin and Cardiff, and hopes to do so again this year.
She has represented Wales in Glasgow, Dublin and Cardiff, and hopes to do so again this year.
So far this year, she has represented Wales schools in Scotland, and has been selected for the Celtic Games and the under 20s international.
Combined events coaches in Wales are rare.
Since the departure of Mike Guest following a fall out with Welsh Athletics after the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, there is only one coach we know of, namely her present coach Nigel Lewis, who is a UK Athletics grade A combined events coach.
In April 2014 Lauryn suffered a nasty ankle injury from which she tried to come back too soon, so this kept her out for eight months.
In April 2014 Lauryn suffered a nasty ankle injury from which she tried to come back too soon, so this kept her out for eight months.
When she came back, she had a confidence issue with her high jump, so her coach suggested she try triple jump.
On her first attempt at triple jump in competition, she put in the best triple jump in Wales for four years.
She continues to excel in triple jump, and seems to be a long way ahead of any rivals in Wales. However, it is a very hard event on the body, so physiotherapy and treatment are par for the course.
Lauryn lives in the Ammanford area and the return journey to Cardiff for training is 130 miles.
Lauryn lives in the Ammanford area and the return journey to Cardiff for training is 130 miles.
Lauryn has to make multiple trips to and from Cardiff each week.
She needs several sets of spikes, as there are different spikes for each event.
She needs several sets of spikes, as there are different spikes for each event.
Her family have also invested in three different sets of specialist orthotics (devices designed to help the muscular and skeletal system) for Lauryn.
Mr Evans said: "Some of the specialist footwear costs more than £100 a throw, so it is an expensive business.
"But Lauryn remains hopeful that the financial challenges of competing at such a high level will start to resolve as key sponsors come on board."
Anyone interested in sponsoring Lauryn can contact Phil Evans on email at pevans6857@aol.com
Photos above - Lauryn in long jump and triple jump action and receiving a Carmarthen Harriers award from Great Britain and Wales sprinter Christian Malcom.
For more details about Lauryn's athletics record, see The Power of 10 website -
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