Full Name:

Non Stanford

Sex:

Female

Born:

8th January, 1989

Club:

Swansea Harriers

Coach:

John Griffiths

Event:

Middle/Long distance, Cross-country

County:

West Wales

Cross-country

Outdoor Flat - women's only

2:10.57 

 May 2004

Carmarthen, GBR

30 July 2004

3 May 2004

Somerset, GBR

Indoor Flat

3000m

9.22.98

12 February 2006

Sheffield GBR

Road 

5km Road

16:43

17 April 2006

Carmarthen, GBR

10km Road

34:46

4 March 2007

Barcelona, ESP

On camp with Kelly

Inter-Counties Cross-country

Pre-race: Nottingham: Non Stanford (Wales West, 453), last winter’s Inter-Counties Silver medallist behind Charlotte Browning, is currently joint first in the Reebok Cross Challenge standings in this age group with 62 points – but only because she drifted up to the Under 17s in search of stronger competition at Cardiff (and finished second to Emily Pidgeon). Stanford retained the Welsh Under 15 title with impressive ease a fortnight ago. In Reebok races this winter, she won the Under 15 Girls races at Liverpool and Margate. 

Swansea Harrier Non Stanford has her sights set on avenging a rare defeat when she goes for gold at the British Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships in Nottingham next month. The 15-year-old Port Talbot schoolgirl maintained her impressive sequence of Welsh titles by cruising to victory in the national cross country championships in Singleton Park over the weekend. Non has never been beaten in this country by a Welsh athlete and has suffered only a few defeats in her own age group UK-wide since taking up the sport three years ago.

Non won the U15s race at the  Reebok Inter-counties in Nottingham, in the absence of Emily Pidgeon in a time of 13:34.

"Talented Welsh Champion Non STANFORD (Swansea Harriers) took her second victory in a row, in the absence again of Reebok Liverpool and Birmingham winner Emily PIDGEON (Gloucester AC). She had the race well under control throughout as she headed home Emily COLLINGE (Mansfield Harriers) and Gillian MOSS (West Norfolk AC)."

Non won the Reebok 2003/2004 series, with 112 points.

SIAB International Schools Cross-country

In April Non Stanford took the individual gold medal in 15:11 in the British Schools Cross Country International at Ayr, 28 seconds ahead of runner up England's Stephanie Twell in 15:39, the first time a Welsh female athlete has won an age-group title at UK level.

The race was always going to be a tough one against runners of an older age group. English cross-country champion Stephanie Twell and under-17 UK champion Stephanie Barnes were expected to be strong contenders for the title. 

Non raced to the front of the pack from the gun and within 500 metres had pulled Twell and Barnes away from the rest of the field. Barnes was first to drop off and eventually failed to complete the course. At the beginning of the second lap of the 4k race Stanford made the decisive break and Twell could offer no response. In the end Stanford won by 28 seconds - Wales's only title win of the championship.

Non Stanford took the Silver in the British Milers' Club PB Classic at Somerset's Millfield School on Monday (3rd May), behind Emily Pidgeon's record-breaking time.

In the 3000m, the pair battled it out, paced around the seven-and-a-half laps by Steve Mosley.

When it came to the crunch, Pidgeon proved the stronger and she crossed the line in a time of nine minutes 23.77 seconds, a New UK Age 14 and 15 record and just outside the European Age best, and taking five seconds off Pidgeon's previous best for 3000m.

"It was a really hard-fought race with Non Stanford and Emily really had to fight hard to beat her," said David Farrow, Pidgeon's coach. 

Roger Bannister Memorial Mile

For the second time in four days Emily Pidgeon and Non Stanford have met on the track, and Emily has re-written the track history books. Their latest race took place in front of one of the legends of British athletics, Sir Roger Bannister in Thursday (6th May) night's Under-20s mile race, which was held at the meeting staged to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bannister's ground-breaking first sub-four minute mile.

On the same Iffley Road track in Oxford - now a modern all-weather surface compared to the cinders in 1954 - Pidgeon won the Under-20s race in a time of four minutes 50.68 seconds, with Non second.

Non was presented with a special commemorative medal to celebrate the Bannister mile by Diane Leather, who was the first British woman to break five minutes for the mile in 1954.

Welsh Schools T&F

ThisisSouthWales

Preview: Welsh Schools' Track and Field Championships - Swansea Harrier Non Stanford, who has won a glut of cross county and road titles during the winter season, will contest the 1500m. 

Despite intermittent heavy showers and a swirling wind, the cream of Welsh athletes provided plenty of record-breaking action at the Welsh Schools' Track and Field Championships at Brecon. In the girls events there was only one record broken but it was another spectacular performance from Non Stanford in the middle age group 1500 metres.

Ranked in the top 20 British senior rankings with her recent Welsh under-17 and under-20 age group record of 4:23.55 seconds, the 16-year old obliterated the opposition to slice nearly 10 seconds off the previous record which had stood since 1987 with a solo gun to tape effort to cross the finishing line in 4:30.62 seconds.

For her outstanding effort Stanford was awarded the Kirsty Wade Middle Distance Cup and the JDB Williams Memorial Cup.

At Crystal Palace, before the Senior Elite Athletes went out for the London Grand Prix, three races involving some of the UK’s outstanding teenage talent were held. 15-year-old Non Stanford (Swansea Harriers) lowered her Welsh Under 17 record to 9:22.86 in winning the Under 20 Women’s 3000m. She made the pace from the start and pulled clear with three laps to go before powering on to run the second-fastest time ever by a UK Under 17. “I was surprised because it was so hot,” said Stanford, who pretty much achieved her aim of lapping at 75 seconds. “I felt really strong in the second half of the race.”  

NON ROUNDS OFF SEASON IN STYLE

ThisisSouthWales

Swansea Harrier Non Stanford has finished a remarkable summer by breaking into the top 10 in Britain - at any level. The highly-rated middle distance runner completed a sparkling season on the track by winning the Under-20 3000m at the British Grand Prix recently.

Her victory at the star-studded event at Crystal Palace in a time of nine minutes 22.84 seconds moved her to second on the British all-time rankings for an under-17 and ninth for the year by any female athlete in Britain.

The 16-year-old has competed consistently across the three middle distance events of 800m, 1500m and 3000m this season and has been earmarked as an athlete of rich potential.

For 2004 she now ranks fifth over 800m (2:10.77,), first over 1500m (4:23.55) and first over 3000m (9:22.84). - (.86?)

With victories in the Welsh and Welsh Schools Championships in new championship records for the metric mile, Stanford has also set Welsh Under-17 and Under-20 records for the distance, eclipsing previous bests set 23 years ago.

Her debut over 3000m in May saw her set a new under-17 and under-20 record, the old marks having been in the books for 25 and 17 years respectively.

At Crystal Palace, in front of a packed stadium, she improved this mark yet again with a superb front-running display to take her to the top of this season's list and end the summer on a high.

Her coach John Griffiths said: ''The support she has received from her sponsors, Swansea law firm Douglas, Jones and Mercer, has certainly produced dividends and has enabled her to travel to a number of quality events for experience and more competitive races.''

Non Stanford won the the U17s race at the Reebok Cross Challenge race in Falkirk. 

A cracking race was expected in the Under 17 Girls which included amongst others, National Champions from Wales, England and Scotland. However Non Stanford (Swansea Harriers) who has moved up age groups this winter and was running for the first time in the Reebok Cross Challenge as an Under 17, stamped her authority on the field almost immediately and continued to do so throughout the entire race. Second, third and fourth places were battled out between Danielle Walker (Royal Sutton AC), Siobhan Coleman (Pitreavie AAC), Kaseylea Shuttleworth (East Cheshire Harriers) Jessica Sparkes ( Woodford Green with Essex Ladies AC) and Stephanie Roe (Preston Harriers). Non reached the final 150m straight looking confident and relaxed, almost the entire length of the straight ahead of what was to be a comfortable second place for Siobhan from Jessica.

Non said: "It was a bit touch and go as to if I would race today as I’ve been ill with a bad throat the last few days. I still hadn’t decided if I would run during my warm up but then I thought that as I had travelled so far I might as well run, especially as this is my last cross country race until December. (Non has been invited to the month long training camp with Kelly Holmes in November in South Africa). As I have been ill I decided to work away during the entire race. I wasn’t bothered about being a first year Under 17, there were others in the same situation like Jessica and Danielle, you just have to get on with it."

Wales OCS Young Sportsperson of the Year

Having applied three times for these awards, it was about time Non received the recognition for her success. Non has broken records and won many races over the past year. Although Non receives little support from Sport Wales, she has earned a place on a 4 week camp to be run by Olympic Gold Medallist Kelly Holmes. The camp, in South Africa in November, is for Britain’s most promising athletes - Non is the youngest to attend. To add to her running success, she gained an ‘A’ in GCSE Welsh in year 8, and an ‘A’ at AS level Welsh in year 10.

Articles:

ThisisSouthWales: YOUNG RUNNER'S AFRICAN DREAM

ThisisSouthWales: NON GETS READY TO LEARN FROM OLYMPIC CHAMPION

ThisisSouthWales: NON AND KELLY TEAM UP FOR THE POST IN SOUTH AFRICA

Sports Council for Wales Press Release

ThisisSouthWales: NON IN THE ELITE

ThisisSouthWales: NON HOPES THE HOLMES INFLUENCE WILL RUB OFF

I TRAINED WITH KELLY HOLMES

Pre-race: The fourth meeting in the 2004-05 Reebok Cross Challenge Series takes place in Liverpool’s Sefton Park on Saturday 4 December. It will be a chance for three of the girls that trained ‘On Camp with Kelly’ in South Africa; Rachael Thompson, Jo Finch and Non Stanford, to see how they fare on the country. Meanwhile, fellow athlete Danielle Christmas is hours away from competing in the 800m at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Australia.

On the last day of the training camp in Potchefstroom, Holmes said: “You have all worked hard out here, but the real work starts when you get home and its cold and wet!” So it’s back to reality now in the Reebok Cross Challenge for three young hopefuls.

Rachael Thompson, Jo Finch and Non Stanford will race in the combined Under 20 / Under 17 Women’s race.

Swansea Harrier Non Stanford is planning to re-start her season where she left off when winning the opening Under 17 race of the Reebok series in Falkirk. Stanford is looking forward to getting stuck into cross-country again, having enjoyed four weeks training in the South African sunshine.

Non Stanford was second in the Under 17/Under 20s race at the Reebok Cross Challenge race in Liverpool. 

The surprise winner of the Under 17 race was Ashleigh Gayle Murray (Pitreavie AAC) who defeated Non Stanford (Swansea Harriers) with an impressive front running performance.  The girls were the first home in both age groups, with Sarah Ponsford (IIF Group) first under 20 and third overall.  

It was another race where the Under 17s demonstrated their strength competing against older athletes with six of the first eight all Under 17.

Murray, who came second to Stanford at the Under 15 Girls race at the Reebok UK Inter-Counties in March, was delighted with her performance. Despite a spiking injury in the early part of the race she went straight into the lead on the first lap and extended it to 50 metres by the line.

Murray finished in 14:53 with Stanford second in 15:19. Ponsford clocked 15:28 as first Under 20.

Stanford, returning from training in South Africa with Kelly Holmes, was pleased with her first race back.

She said: “I found it quite hard. I had to work really hard. I was really pleased with it being the first race back. Ashleigh pushed it on really early and my legs wouldn’t let me go. I learned a lot being in South Africa with Kelly. I’ve definitely improved my speed so hopefully everything I’ve done out there will come into practice when the summer season comes.”

OCS YOUNG SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR 2004

RUNNER WINS YOUNG SPORTING AWARD

OCS Young Sportsperson of the Year 2004

Fifteen year old Non Stanford is one of the UK's leading athletes and today (6th December 2004), Non's efforts were recognised at a prestigious ceremony at the Royal Automobile Club in London, where she was crowned OCS Young Sportsperson of the Year 2004. Non is the overall winner of the 2004 Adidas London Mini Marathon and currently ranked 5th in Europe's U20's for 3,000M. Non received her OCS award, along with sponsorship worth £10,500, from OCS chief executive Chris Cracknell and tennis star Annabel Croft.

Also attending the event were eight regional winners, plus the winners of the disabled and 'young star' categories. Each regional winner and disabled winner beat off fierce competition from over 400 entries to take their place at the ceremony and receive their sponsorship of £2,500, with the 'young star' receiving £500.

. .. AND NON IS HONOURED TOO

ThisisSouthWales

Rising star Non Stanford's promising athletics career has received another major boost. The 15-year-old Swansea middle-distance runner has been crowned OCS Young Sportsperson of the Year 2004 - and with it earned sponsorship worth £10,500.

Non, of Penllergaer, was the overall winner of the 2004 Adidas London Mini Marathon and is currently ranked fifth among Europe's Under-20s for the 3000 metres.

The award is another huge boost and comes just two weeks after she returned from a month-long training camp in South Africa with double Olympic gold medallist Kelly Holmes.

She said: "I am absolutely thrilled to have won this sponsorship. I was delighted when I heard that I had won the regional award, so to walk away as the OCS Young Sportsperson of the Year is fantastic.

"Training and travel is very expensive, so the prize money will be very useful and hopefully it will help me get to the top without any additional worries about finance.

"My ultimate aim is to follow in the footsteps of Paula Radcliffe and Hayley Tullett in order to make as big an impact on women's distance running as they have.

"In addition, I aim to be an ambassador for sport for my country - both Wales and Great Britain.

"I am confident that this sponsorship will help me realise these ambitions."

Non also picked up a cash prize of £2,500 for her school, St Joseph's RC Comprehensive in Port Talbot.

Chris Cracknell, chief executive of OCS said: "For Non this award recognises her significant achievements as an athlete, as well as the contribution to the sport at a national and international level."

Swansea Harriers - 

Things can only get better is the name of the song and for Non Stanford 2004 has been just that. Victories in the Welsh CC, Welsh Schools CC, Celtic International CC, Schools International, Uk Inter Counties followed by a Track season which included 1500m titles at the Welsh and Welsh Schools, Welsh U17 / U20 Records at 1500m and 3000m, European 6th ranked at 3k for U20 and then a month in South Africa with Olympic Champion Kelly Holmes.

Well December has continued the successes.
Having gained the Regional OCS award of £2,500.00 towards her athletics costs in November she attended the lunch in London on the 7th December to receive her award along with the other 9 Regional winners from various sports around the UK and ended up receiving the overall title as well with an extra £8,000.00 to be used for travel and training.
What a boost to her ambitions.

Non has been selected for the Welsh Schools Best Female Cross Country award for the annual Schools awards for performances during the year.

BUTE PARK TEST NEXT UP FOR NON
ThisisSouthWales - 21st Jan 2005 - RACHEL THOMAS: RACHEL.THOMAS@SWWP.CO.UK

Rising star Non Stanford will take to the muddy paths of Bute Park in Cardiff this Sunday for the Reebok Cross Country Challenge. The 15-year-old from Penllergaer, Swansea, who spent a month training with Olympic ace Kelly Holmes last October, will compete in the four-kilometre Celtic under-17 race.

Non was the youngest of eight of the UK's leading Under-20 girl athletes to be hand-picked by Holmes to take part in the camp at Potchefstroom, 90 minutes south-west of Johannesburg.

She learned from Holmes what it takes to succeed as a top international athlete, as well as experiencing the training base where Holmes prepared for major championships, including the summer Olympics in Athens, where she claimed a double gold.

Since returning from the intensive training camp, Non has showed good form both on track and country.

In November, the Swansea Harrier was unveiled as one of the latest recruits of the Elite Cymru scheme, which saw her take a significant stride towards becoming a top-class athlete.

The youngster will now benefit from lottery funding to help her progress with her athletics career.

Athletes from all around the UK will descend on the capital city to take part in the Reebok challenge and the 11-race programme will see runners of all ages and abilities compete.

Non is likely to be involved in a hard fought contest in the under-17 age group as she will be running against her Gloucester rival Emily Pidgeon.

Non will take to the track in the 10th race of the day which also incorporates The Welsh Universities Championships, where Uwic's up-and-coming young stars will be strong contenders.

AAA Young Athletes Relays - Stanford bounced back in impressive style the following day at the National Young Athletes Road Relays in Sutton Coldfield. She went head-to-head with Aldershot's Stephanie Twell on the final leg of the Under 17 Women relay. Twell set off with a strong lead, chased by a determined Stanford who closed the gap and produced the fastest time of the day, but Swansea Harriers had to settle for second place behind Aldershot, Farnham & District.

BMC, Millfield: Fresh from their Loughborough get-together with Dame Kelly, Danielle Christmas (Crawley AC) won an enthralling Women’s 1500m A race and 16-year-old Non Stanford (Swansea Harriers) cracked the 3000m qualifying standards for both this summer’s European Junior Championships and World Youth Championships on a windy night when records fell and standards showed signs of soaring.

While times achieved in mixed races cannot be accepted for Championships qualifying purposes, teenager Stanford impressed any Norwich Union GB selectors watching the Mixed 3000m C race. The Welsh youngster crossed the line sixth (behind the leading Men) in 9:25.53, well inside the standard of 9:30.00 for both the European Juniors and World Youth Championships.

AAA U20 Track & Field Championships

Pre-race: 1500m (4:20.00): While the amazing Emily Pidgeon (Gloucester) is expected to aim for the 5000m in Kaunas, she inevitably dominates the rankings all through the distances. She is European Juniors No.1 at 1500m has gone three seconds quicker this season than MacLarty, who is second in the UK rankings and fourth in Europe with 4:20.97. 

To underline the growing UK strength, Abby Westley is seventh in Europe with 4:21.99 – and then there are Kelly’s Campers entering the fray Charlotte Browning (Aldershot, Farnham and District), Danielle Christmas (Crawley), Hannah England (Oxford City), the Euro Juniors 3000m rankings leader Non Stanford (Swansea), Danielle Walker (Royal Sutton Coldfield) and Marrakech-bound Sian Edwards (Kettering).

Taking the lead from the gun, Lisa Dobriskey (Ashford) burnt off the opposition including Natalie Harvey (South London Harriers) until just herself and Tina Brown (Coventry Godiva) remained in contention going into the last 1000m. The 1500m specialist pushed the pace on but with Brown set to stride out over the 3000m steeplechase in Melbourne it wasn’t until the final 100m that the shorter distance speed won through in 9.10.44 - Brown snatching an encouraging PB in 9.11.08. The star performer, however, was 17-year-old Non Stanford (Swansea) who ploughed her way around the EIS track, catching Harvey and running alongside all the way to a Welsh Junior record of 9.22.98.

Pre-race: 11.00: Junior Women (U20 at 31.12.06) and Senior Girls (schools) 5km – Pidgeon (Gloucester AC) has truly taken flight since winning, among many others, the Under 13 Girls’ race at Cardiff as recently as 2002. If her rapid progress to 2005 European Junior 5000m Champion and European Junior Cross Country Silver medallist is not sufficient inspiration for the schoolchildren gathering for their races, then maybe the sight of Non Stanford (Swansea Harriers) in her county schools team will catch their imagination. For Non – who was second to Emily in that Under 13 Girls’ race three years ago – spent last weekend at the Lisbon Junior International in Portugal, where she completed a Norwich Union GB 1-2-3 in the Junior Women’s race. Also in the Cardiff field are two more of the Norwich Union GB Junior Women who won the Team Gold medals at the European Cross Country Championships in Tilburg last month, Sian Edwards (Kettering Town Harriers) and Nicola Sykes (Bedford and County). And the lure of the Cross Challenge is evidenced by Scottish Champion Siobhan Coleman (Pitreavie) making the long flight south in search of a little more quality competition.

Non Stanford (Swansea Harriers / Afan NT Schools) finished third – as she did in Lisbon – to take yet another elegant step back towards full fitness after overcoming numerous niggling injury and illness problems between January and October of last year. “It’s been tough getting my confidence back,” she said. “It really knocked me for six. I’m working hard and eventually it will be all right.”

World Cross-Country, Fukuoka, Japan

The 6km race was dominated by African athletes with Kenya taking all three individual medals. Pauline Korikwiang won in 19 minutes 27 seconds in a sprint finish against Veronica Wanjiru with Mercy Kosgei third in 19:45. Edwards’ time was 20:10.

Kenya took the Team Gold medals with only 10 points. Ethiopia were second with 29, Japan third with 58, Eritrea fourth with 83 and Norwich Union GB fifth with 116 – 17 points ahead of Russia – Sian Edwards (Kettering Town Harirrers) 10th in 20:10;  Stephanie Twell (Aldershot, Farnham and District AC) 31^st in 21:14; Non Stanford (Swansea Harriers) 37^th in 21:24; Danielle Sale (Orion Harriers) 38^th in 21:24; Jessica Sparke (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies) 44^th in 21:41; and Joanne Harvey (Exeter Harriers) 51^st in 21:59.

Non Stanford (Swansea Harriers), who turned down the opportunity to go ‘On Camp with Kelly’ to Melbourne so that she could make her major championships debut at the age of 17, also carried out to perfection Team orders to avoid going out too fast and fading. She was 60^th in 3:29 at the first checkpoint, but up to 36^th in 9:46 by halfway. She picked up two more places in the next section, passing the checkpoint in 17:07 as the Norwich Union GB athletes continued to work off each other.

She said: “It was absolutely amazing. I loved every minute of it. The atmosphere was really good. And to be there representing my country against the best athletes in the world is something I’ve always worked for. We are absolutely thrilled with our team performance. I’m really pleased with my performance, especially as it was my first run. My aim was to finish in the first 50.”

Norwich Union GB Junior Women’s Team Leader Stella Bandu summed-up: “The whole team did absolutely fantastically in a highly competitive race. By finishing fifth, they have beaten a lot of very good teams. It’s been a real privilege to be their Team Manager and I hope what they have gained from this will help them towards fulfilling their long term goals and potential. It’s been a good learning experience.

“The policy of enabling young athletes to compete at occasions like this can never be under-estimated. If they were all asked to write a short essay on what they have learnt, I think they would end up with very long essays!”