Team Wales hopefuls in search of Commonwealth goldImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Artistic gymnast Ruby Evans (left), swimmer Matt Richards (centre) and para-athlete Funmi Oduwaiye (right) are hoping for success with Team Wales in GlasgowByAndrew RichardsBBC Sport WalesPublished19 minutes agoAcross the globe athletes from 74 countries and territories are preparing for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.The 23rd iteration of the Games will be leaner, featuring just 10 sports compared to 20 in Birmingham four years ago.The sports include athletics and Para-athletics, swimming and Para-swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling and Para-track cycling, netball, weightlifting and Para-powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and Para-bowls, 3×3 basketball and 3×3 wheelchair basketball.With over 100 athletes set to be named in Team Wales next week, BBC Sport Wales caught up with a few athletes hoping to wear red this summer.’This one’s really important’Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Matt Richards won two golds and a silver medal at the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships in AprilDouble Olympic champion swimmer Matt Richards’ medal collection would be the envy of most.
To add to his golds at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, he has topped the podium multiple times at World and European Championships too.
But after a quartet of fourth-placed finishes four years ago, Richards has his eyes on completing the set.
“Not just a medal, I want the gold,” he stated.
“Commonwealths in 2022 didn’t go the way I’d hoped. I wasn’t performing as well as I’d have liked to that year. It’s that one that’s really gotten away and it happens to be one that’s the only opportunity I get to do, racing for Wales.
“So it’s one that’s close to my heart and one that I’m going to be going at pretty hard this year.
“I’m in great shape. We had the British Championships which went really well. I had two golds and a silver there and so gearing up well for a busy summer.
“I think the main thing for me is put on that Welsh dragon, get out there and bring back some gold.”
