YDL MATCH 1 – WHAT A STATEMENT FROM TEAM BRAT!
In our very first season competing in the Youth Development League, BRAT made an unbelievable statement by winning Match 1 with an incredible 579 points — finishing well clear at the top of the table! This was more than just a win. It showed the strength, depth, teamwork, and future of BRAT athletics. Across every age group, our athletes delivered outstanding performances on the track and in the field, with athletes stepping up in both scoring and non-scoring events to contribute valuable points for the club. Some standout performances included: Dominic Francis-Gordon dominating the U16 Boys sprints, winning both the 100m (11.50) and 200m (23.20). Adrian Demanya produced one of the top performances of the entire match, winning the U14 Boys Shot with 11.87m, alongside victories in Discus and Hammer. Charlie Keenan won the U14 Boys Javelin with a huge 30.02m throw. Darcy McDaid impressed across multiple events, winning the…
BSB League Kick-Off: A Historic Day of Junior Athletics at Alexander Stadium 🏟️✨
On Saturday, 2nd May, history was made as the brand-new U12 BSB (BRAT, Sutton, Birchfield) League officially launched at the iconic Alexander Stadium. This league was specifically established to address a vital gap in the local sporting calendar: providing high-quality, dedicated competition opportunities for Under-12 athletes. 🏃♂️🏃♀️ We set this league up with the clear purpose of ensuring our youngest members have a consistent platform to develop their skills in a professional, world-class environment. 🌟 For many of these young athletes, it was their first ever experience competing in a stadium of this caliber. The focus of the day was firmly on participation, team spirit, and mutual encouragement. Seeing the stadium filled with young energy, across every sprint, jump, and throw, was a fantastic sight. The atmosphere was electric, with a heavy emphasis on athletes from all three clubs supporting one another and celebrating every achievement, regardless of the club…
BRAT Squad Tackles the Wombourne Sprint Triathlon 🏊♂️🚴♂️🏃♂️
While we are usually found training across Birmingham, this past Sunday a group of BRAT athletes headed over to the lanes of South Staffordshire for the Black Country Triathletes’ Wombourne Sprint Triathlon. 🔴⚫️ The event is a local favourite for its challenging “pool-to-trail” format: a 400m swim, a 20km undulating bike leg, and a 5km off-road run. 🌲 The Star Performance: Emily Jones 🥈🌟 The performance of the day came from Emily Jones, who has only recently taken up triathlon. Her massive improvements in the pool and on the bike were on full display as she stormed to a 2nd place overall finish in the Women’s race (20th overall in the entire field). Emily stopped the clock at 01:05:45, showing incredible composure for someone so new to the sport. We are sure there is plenty more to come! 🥈🚀 A Race Against the Clock ⏱️ Because of the staggered start…
English Schools Cross Country Championships 2026 – Sefton Park
The English Schools Cross Country Championships is widely regarded as the most prestigious schools race in the cross country calendar, with all athletes required to qualify through their county championships to earn a place on the start line. The event has a proud history of showcasing future stars, with Olympic champions such as Keely Hodgkinson, who finished 3rd as a student, and Mo Farah, a former winner, both having competed in this elite competition. On Saturday 14th March, athletes travelled to Sefton Park for the English Schools Cross Country Championships. With glorious weather and a firm course underfoot, aside from a few wet patches, conditions were ideal for fast running against the very best athletes in England. There was strong representation, with athletes competing for West Midlands Schools. Our sole female athlete, Amira E, produced a solid performance in the Intermediate Girls race, finishing 278th in 16:07. In the Junior…
BRAT Juniors Finish the Sportshall Season in Style!
The 2025/2026 junior Sportshall season officially came to a close this past weekend, and the BRAT squad ensured it was a finale to remember! Our young athletes delivered exceptional performances across the board, securing overall league titles, individual event victories, and a massive haul of podium finishes. From explosive sprints and endurance relays to incredible displays of power in the field events, our athletes did the club immensely proud. 🏆 U15s: Muayyad Takes the Title & Hephzibah Wins the Finale! The U15 competition requires athletes to be true all-rounders, accumulating points across a range of track and field events throughout the season. We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Muayyad Mohamed is the U15 Boys Overall Champion! Putting in a spectacularly consistent season, Muayyad finished with a massive 349 points to take the 1st place crown. Joining him on the overall podium was teammate Dominic Thulani Francis-Gordon, who secured 3rd…
Club Athletes Shine on the National Stage at Inter-Counties XC Championships
The winter cross-country season culminated in one of the most prestigious events on the domestic calendar this past weekend: the UKCAU Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships in Nottingham. Just being selected to wear the county vest is a massive honour, and we were incredibly proud to see several of our athletes stepping up to compete against the very best in the UK. The Inter-Counties is notorious for its huge, fiercely competitive fields, gathering the top runners from every region across the country to battle it out over gruelling, muddy terrain. Our athletes represented their county with absolute distinction, digging deep in challenging conditions to produce some fantastic results. 🌟 Dawlatly Cracks the Top 50 The standout performance of the day came in the U17 Men’s race from Elliot Dawlatly. In a field packed with elite national talent, Elliot ran a phenomenal race to cross the line in 50th place. To finish…
BRAT Stars Shine as Team Birmingham Sweeps Regional Sportshall Finals!
It was a day of absolute dominance at the West Midlands Regional Sportshall Finals, as Team Birmingham achieved a spectacular clean sweep, winning every single age group across both the boys’ and girls’ categories! The event, held at the North Solihull Sports Centre on February 22nd, 2026, saw the best young athletes from across the region battle it out. We are incredibly proud that 11 of our very own BRAT athletes were selected to pull on the black vest for Birmingham. Not only did they contribute heavily to the overarching team success, but they also delivered some phenomenal individual performances. Here is a look at how our BRAT representatives fared: U11s: Parekh Finds the Target Our youngest athletes stepped up to the regional stage with immense confidence, helping both the U11 Boys and Girls to team victories. U13s: Demanya Dominates the Shot The U13s were on fire across the track,…
BRAT Juniors Power to Historic Best-Ever League Finish!
History was made last Sunday as the West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League concluded its 2025/26 season. After five gruelling fixtures, the BRAT junior squad secured a magnificent 4th place overall—the highest league finish in the club’s history! Breaking into the “Top 4” is a massive achievement and a testament to the depth and dedication of our young athletes. We finished the season with a massive 26,940 points, holding off fierce competition to set a new club standard. 🏆 Team Glory: A Hat-Trick of Podiums It wasn’t just the overall table where we shone. Three of our boys’ teams produced outstanding campaigns to bring home league medals, showing the strength of our packing in these age groups. Our U17 Men also put in a strong shift, finishing just outside the medals in 4th place, while the U11 Girls secured a solid 6th place finish in a very competitive league.…
U15 Boys Closing in on Title as Throws Squad Hits “Quadruple Gold”
The penultimate fixture of the Sportshall Athletics League was a showcase of BRAT athletics. With a clean sweep in the U13 Shot Put and vital wins on the track and in the jumps, the club is in a fantastic position ahead of the Grand Finale on March 7th. 🥇 Field Event Fury: The Throws Squad The headline story of the match was the absolute dominance of our throwers. The club achieved a spectacular “Quadruple Gold” in the U13 Shot Put, winning every single category available! ⚡ U13 Highlights: Speed & Power The U13 girls were in electric form in the gym, particularly in the Speed Bounce, where we took maximum points. 🌟 U11 Highlights: Oscar & Leo Shine Our youngest athletes provided some of the most exciting moments of the day. 🏆 U15 Boys: The Title Charge The U15 Boys are now tantalizingly close to the league title. They dominated…
🥉 The Battle for Bronze: All Hands on Deck for the Season Finale!
This Sunday, the West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League concludes at Wolverhampton—and we have a massive opportunity. After four grueling races through mud, rain, and hills, BRAT currently sits in 4th place overall. We have had some spectacular individual performances and strong squad turnouts, but the job isn’t done yet. We have one clear target for the final race: Catch Birchfield Harriers. The Mission: Overtake Birchfield We are currently chasing Birchfield Harriers for that podium spot. The gap is real, but it is absolutely bridgeable. In cross-country, points aren’t just won by the athletes at the front—they are won by the sheer volume of teammates crossing the finish line. If we field full teams in every age group, the swing in points can be enormous. We have the talent to take 3rd place, but we can only do it if we out-number and out-run them this Sunday. 📢 A…
Snow, Ice, and Grit: A Challenging Day at Nuneaton! ❄️🥶
Date: 11th January 2026 Event: West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League – Match 4 Cross country runners are known for their toughness, but this weekend, the weather really put us to the test! 😅 While Nuneaton was ready to go, a blanket of snow in Birmingham made travel impossible for many of our amazing athletes. 🚫🚗 As a result, BRAT faced our toughest fixture in ages. After soaring to a spectacular 2nd place overall in December, the snow and a smaller squad meant we finished 7th Overall in Match 4. Ouch! 😬 It was a tough day for points, especially on the girls’ side, where a lack of numbers cost us big time in the overall standings. BUT, for those heroes who braved the icy roads to get to The Pingles, there were some truly epic performances, including a standout team victory! 💪🥇 The Challenge: A Struggle for Numbers…
BRAT Club Junior Success at County XC Championships
Warley Woods – Saturday 13th December 2025 It was a fantastic day of racing at Warley Woods for the combined Worcestershire and Warwickshire County Cross Country Championships. BRAT Club’s junior athletes turned out in force, delivering standout performances across the age groups. From individual battles to dominant team victories, our young runners did the club proud in challenging winter conditions. Here is a roundup of the action from the Under 11 to Under 17 categories. Under 11 Boys: Warwickshire Team Champions! The U11 Boys put in a dominant display to bring home the Warwickshire Team Gold, beating stiff competition from Stratford and Leamington. Team Result: 🥇 1st Place – BRAT Club (14 points) – Logan Pearce, Leo Dunigan, Lucas Sacremento Guillaume. Under 11 Girls: Team Silver Our U11 Girls packed well to secure a brilliant Team Silver in the Warwickshire standings. Team Result: 🥈 2nd Place – BRAT Club (22…