Welsh boxer and world champion Lauren Price will be the mystery runner at the 2024 Nos Galan race.
In Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf, a race honours the life of the celebrated runner Guto Nyth Bran.
Held by the town since 1958, it hosts a large crowd of onlookers each New Year’s Eve.
Welcham Price, the current welterweight champion, is being accompanied by a second unidentified runner, Ria Burrage-Male, who has previously represented Wales as a hockey player at the Commonwealth Games.
“Today’s athletes truly embody the highest standards of sporting and personal excellence,” noted Ann Crimmings of the Nos Galan Road Races Committee, which oversees the event in partnership with Rhondda Cynon Taf council.
It will be a thrilling experience for all who are watching and participating in Nos Galan tonight to have the opportunity to witness these highly motivating female figures in action.
Truly exceptional, mainly because both Lauren and Ria were born and raised in the valley themselves.
They epitomize the rewards that can be realized through unwavering commitment and perseverance. I am confident that there are young individuals in the audience this evening who will be inspired and motivated to dedicate themselves to their pursuits with the same level of passion and effort.
What is Nos Galan?
Established in 1958 by Bernard Baldwin, the Nos Galan 10 kilometres road race is held around the town of Mountain Ash.
The events include prestigious male and female elite running competitions, as well as a more casual fun run and kid-friendly racing activities.
The commemoration commences with a church service at Llanwonno, where a flame is ignited and then relayed to Mountain Ash.
A centuries-old custom, dubbed “The Mystery Runner”, revolves around a renowned athlete whose anonymity remains unknown until nightfall, when they mysteriously lay a wreath on the tomb of Guto Nyth Brân, who passed away in 1737.
Stories of his accomplishments are now interwoven with myth, featuring tales of him catching wild rabbits and sprinting the distance of 11km between Pontypridd and back, a feat he allegedly accomplished before his mother’s kettle had finished boiling.
The races were stopped in 1973 because police were worried about traffic congestion, but they were resumed again in 1984.
The course, which has undergone changes, now comprises three loops of the central area, beginning on Henry Street Relief Road, ultimately leading to Oxford Street and the statue of Guto Nyth Brân.
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- The identities of the participants in the 2023 edition of the traditional Spanish music festival Nos Galan have been disclosed.
- Wales’ George North has been revealed as the mystery runner who adopted the pseudonym “Nos Galan” at the 2013 Three Aballsam Pobranos of Steve located in little isolated mountain town of Llanberis due to security reasons.
