GWENT’S track and field stars head to Cardiff this weekend as the country’s top talents compete for national titles at the Welsh Athletics Championships.

Former European 400m hurdles champion Rhys Williams and Commonwealth Games pole vault silver medallist Sally Peake will be among some 350 athletes descending on the Welsh capital tomorrow.

Members of Newport Harriers and Cwmbran Harriers also go for gold, as does the likes of Newport sprint ace Mica Moore, who represents Birchfield Harriers.

Moore is entered in three events on the track – the 100m, 200m and 100m hurdles – and will come up against a few familiar faces in the first two disciplines.

Hannah Brier, Hannah Thomas, Rachel Johncock and Moore set a new national record in the final of the women’s 4x100m relay at the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Moore goes head-to-head with Brier and Johncock in the 100m in Cardiff, before Thomas, Brier and Moore do battle over 200m – Brier is the reigning champion in both.

Both of the sprints are also set to feature Newport Harriers’ Katie-Jane Priest.

Priest is joined at the championships by a number of clubmates, including Victoria Belcher (800m) and Hannah Morgan (discus).

The men are represented in no fewer than eight disciplines, with Tyler Williams and Tom Evans aiming for a sprint double.

Kyle Arnold and Ashley Jones go in the 110m hurdles and 400m respectively, Abed Teweldebrhan and Tom Jenkins compete in the 1500m and 5000m, while Daniel Cork (shot put) and Kellen Jones (long jump) are in action in the field.

The hopes of Cwmbran Harriers rest with Isobel Parry-Jones (800m and 1500m), Millicent Fakande (triple jump) and Macey Jones (triple jump).

Former Cwmbran star Thomas Arnold, who now runs for Swansea Harriers, takes on Williams and Evans in the men’s 200m.

Aside from the Gwent athletes, current Welsh champion Sam Gordon, training partner Dewi Hammond and Kristian Jones are expected to be the main contenders for the title of fastest man in Wales in the 100m.

After a fantastic run at the Loughborough International, Owen Smith will be looking for yet another personal best in the 400m, and Jake Heyward and Tom Marshall defend their titles in the 800m and 1500m respectively.

A Welsh all-comers record of 2.36m saw high jumper Chris Baker leap to number two in the world, making him the hot favourite for gold in Cardiff.

British one and two in the discus, Brett Morse and Zane Duquemin, will have the Olympic qualifying distance of 64m in their sights, while Gareth Winter and Osian Jones should go well in the shot put and hammer.

Distance runners Melissa Courtney and Julia Cooke meet again on the track for the 1500m title, current shot put champion Adele Nicol will be targeting the podium top spot, and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Carys Parry faces Scottish international Rachel Hunter in the hammer.

Gates open at 10.30am tomorrow.