Wales on track for Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
With six months to go until the start of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, BBC News finds out how Team Wales' preparations are going.
For the first time in its 84 year history, the Commonwealth Games will see a competitor from Wales in each of the 17 sports on offer. Team Wales are sending around 300 people to July's event and are setting their sights on bringing home a minimum of 25 medals, six more than the 19 won at Delhi in 2010. As yet only two full squads have been announced, for shooting and lawn bowls, along with six members of the swimming team. Team Wales' chef de mission, Brian Davies, said all the teams would be finalised by the end of May, with the the timing of team announcements being worked out with each sport's governing body. In another first, all four team sports - men's and women's hockey, netball and rugby sevens - will have a Welsh team in contention. "All four teams have qualified for the team sports so that brings up the numbers quite a bit," he added. Preparations for the event are well in hand according to Mr Davies. BBC Wales caught up with him as he was on his way to start making travel arrangements for the team for the 400-mile (643km) journey to Scotland this summer. Mr Davies explained the countries taking part in the games would be given the "fine details" next week enabling plans to be finalised. "All the long-listed athletes have received anti-doping information. Travel and accommodation are just starting to be firmed up," he said. "Each sport gets funded by Sport Wales for its preparations [and] the Welsh government makes a contribution to the Commonwealth Games. "Funding shouldn't be an issue for athletes who have been identified for the team." Best performance Mr Davies, who has moved across from his role working with elite athletes at Sport Wales, admitted to a few nerves at the prospect of taking over total responsibility for the team at the start of July, but said previous experience working alongside former chef de mission Chris Jenkins at the Delhi Games should stand him in good stead. Wales has taken part in every Commonwealth Games (originally the Empire Games) since they were founded in 1930 and is one of only six countries to do so. The first Welsh medallist at Hamilton in Canada that year was swimmer Valerie Davies from Cardiff, who gained two silvers. The team's best performance came at Manchester in 2002 when they took home 31 medals. Welsh athletes currently hold 15 Games records in 110m hurdles, 400m, cycling, shooting and weightlifting. The Glasgow 2014 event will see 6,500 athletes from 70 countries competing between 23 July and 3 August at venues across the city.