LOCAL youngsters have been showing off their considerable talents in a wide range of sports over the last 12 months.
In badminton, NEWRBA won the inter-county Welsh title for the second year in a row.
Denbigh’s Matthew Vacher won his singles and doubles matches in the 6-3 final triumph over Gwent.
In May, Vacher and Wrexham’s Adam Stewart joined forces to win the U-15 boys’ doubles title at the Yonex Junior National Badminton Championships.
The duo lost out in an extremely close U-17 boys’ doubles final.
Turning to athletics and Gellifor’s Eleanor Jones, in her first season in competitive action, finished a superb fifth in the U-15 girls’ section at the Welsh Cross Country Championships.
Over the summer, Ysgol Glan Clwyd student Matthew Reece won both the hammer and discus competitions at the Welsh Athletics’ track and field championships in Wrexham.
He also won silver in the shot.
Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn pupils Tobias Gaine and Katie Rigg won their races in the North Wales Sport Association’s annual cross country race at Bodlondeb.
To make it a super hat-trick, Brondyffryn also claimed the overall team prize.
In November, 17-year-old Denbigh Harrier Keri Jacques was chosen to represent North Wales in the Welsh inter-college cross country championships.
The year ended in superb fashion for St Asaph cyclist Dylan Kerfoot Robson.
The 15-year-old made it a major triple achievement when he secured the Welsh U-16 Cyclo-Cross title at Brecon.
This added to his previous gold medals at U-14 and U-12 level in the last four years.
There has also been plenty of swimming success locally, with nine-year-old Madlen Cooper, of Denbigh, winning gold in the girls’ 25m freestyle at the Urdd National Championships.
Later in the year, 17-year-old Lewis Smith, of Ruthin, formed part of the Wales 4x200m freestyle team that won gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games.
Seven-year-old Ysgol Bro Cinmeirch pupil Joel Rizzi, from Llanrhaeadr, was the youngest competitor in the British Motocross Championships.
Joel (pictured left) competed in the 7-9 age group category.
Talented Denbighshire performers definitely got their skates on!
In March, the St Asaph Shadows finished as runners-up in the Flintshire Inline Hockey League.
A pair of Denbigh brothers were hit for six over the autumn at a famous Ashes cricket venue.
Cricketers Ciaran and Osian Lucas were invited to Cardiff’s Swalec Stadium to take part in the Principality Be a Pro Day.
They were in the habit of winning football trophies in the Dee Valley. Corwen Girls’ U-12s lifted the Wrexham Youth League Cup courtesy of their 4-1 final fling versus Marford / Gresford. And to make it double delight, Corwen secured the Wrexham Youth League title in May.
Corwen teams have also been making their mark this season.
Zoe Williams slotted in four goals during Corwen Girls’ U-14s’ 8-0 victory over Llay United, while it was Annie Wilson’s turn to find the target four times in Corwen U-12s’ 9-2 home win against Llay.