Alistair Griffiths

Alistair Griffiths has been a member of Llanelli Amateur Athletics’ Club for over 43 years starting his athletic careerinitially as a young man who just wanted to compete in the London Marathon. He very quickly fell in love with athletics, the training, the competition and people in the sport, and this has resulted in a truly immense long- term dedicated service to athletics within Llanelli and across Wales.

Within 2 years of joining the Club and for the next 39 years whilst he competed as an athlete he volunteered in the various essential Club Officer roles, including Treasurer and Secretary and President.

During the 80s and early 90s athletics affiliated competitions in west Wales  were organised by the Dyfed Athletics Committee which then became the  West Wales Regional Athletics Board, Alistair worked with these for 29 years, also fulfilling the role of Treasurer for 5 years. During this time, he was also a member of the Welsh Athletics Cross Country Committee. 

His knowledge and experience gained within these Committees enabled him to organise 2 major athletics events in Llanelli. In 2000 he organised the Welsh 10k Road Race Championships, which was integrated in the Welsh National Eisteddfods which was being held in Llanelli at the same time, and in 2006 he organised the Welsh Cross Country Championships in Pembrey Country Park. Both of these competitions are prestigious races in the Welsh calendar.

In recognition of his work, he was presented with the UK Athletics Club Officer Award (Runner Up) in 2005 and a Welsh Athletics Meritorious Award for services to athletics in 2006.

A major part of the athletics calendar are the Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field competitions.  To stage any of these sporting events trained volunteer Track and Field Judges and Timekeepers are absolutely essential. Alistair qualified in all 3 of these. He then went on to officiate mainly as Track Judge at every Track & Field event the Club competed in, as well as numerous Championship and Schools events throughoutWales and England for 29 years up until 2017.

Not content with his Officer and Official duties Alistair qualified as an Assistant Coach and then Coach in 1994. At this time the Club’s coaching team consisted of a small group Terry Davies, Phyllis John, Beth Jones and Alistair. He concentrated on Middle distance and Cross Country and helped some very talented athletes gain Welsh representative vests, Welsh Schools vests and medals at Regional and National Championships. In recognition of this work, he was presented with the Welsh Athletics Track and Field Participation Coach of the Year in 2016.

In 2017 Alistair stepped down as President of Llanelli AAC to concentrate on his health and family. In 2024 he under- went a quadruple heart bypass. He is of course a Life Member of the Club and is regularly consulted on Club records and rules, having kept a comprehensive record of competitions. Following his recovery he still continues to support athletes training at Pemberton Track and competing in local cross- country races.