Youthful stars bid for glory at Oz Games
PUPILS at seven schools will have a very special reason to keep a close eye on proceedings “Down Under” when Team Wales go into action at the Commonwealth Games.
For while the 214-strong Welsh team set to compete on Australia’s Gold Coast this week has a sprinkling of world, Olympic, European, Commonwealth and British champions, it also has eight competitors who are still at school.
Youngest of them all is 11-year-old Anna Hursey from Cardiff High School, who will make her Games debut in table tennis.
Five of the gymnasts are still at school – Whitchurch High School provide two gymnasts in Abigail Hanford, 15, and Latalia Bevan, 17; Holly Jones, 17, is at Morriston Comprehensive School, Josh Cook, 17, is at Penarth’s Stanwell School and Radyr Comprehensive School can claim 15-year-old Jolie Ruckley.
King’s School, Chester, will be cheering on Wales’ hockey debutant Izzie Howell, 18, while cyclist Ethan Vernon, 17, is currently studying at Bedford Boys. They are both studying for A-levels later this year.
The selection of Anna Hursey, the youngest member of Team Wales at any Games, grabbed the initial headlines when the Gold Coast squad was announced. As well as studying at school she puts in 21 hours per week of training for table tennis.
“I’m so happy, but I’m also pretty nervous as well. I was only seven last time the Commonwealth Games were held in Glasgow and I can’t really remember much about it,” admitted Anna, who is ranked No 1 in Europe and 25 in the world at Under 11.
“It’s going to be an amazing experience. It will be really hard to get any kind of medal, but we are going to try our best.
“I try not to think about it too much when I’m playing, because when you put in the hours of training it comes naturally.
“I like to read a book in the hotel before a competition to remain calm, and I like listening to music before I play to keep me positive.”
For Abigail Hanford the rhythmic gymnastics competition in Australia will be her first big test of the year. Then the Swansea-born, but now Cardiff-based starlet, will have to face up to the challenge of sitting her GCSEs this summer.
She has been competing since she was seven, and with Latalia Bevan, from Merthyr, opted to leave home to train full-time at the Sport Wales National Centre, Cardiff. They live together at a supervised house on nearby Cathedral Road run by Welsh Gymnastics, and head to Whitchurch High School together after two hours of training each morning.
Latalia, in particular, has enjoyed a successful year in artistic gymnastics, competing for Great Britain as a junior and senior, and being crowned senior Welsh champion ahead of Jolie Ruckley.
She won a silver medal on the beam at the British Championships last month and is a two-time winner of the all-around title at the UK School Games.
A-levels are very much on Latalia’s academic horizon, as they are with north Walian, Izzie Howell, who is studying philosophy, religious studies and classical at King’s Chester.
The youngest member of the Welsh women’s hockey team, she could win her first senior cap at only 18 against India in the Games’ first game.
“Although slightly terrified, I’m also really excited about this opportunity, and to be able to gain this type of experience. To maybe win my first senior cap against India in Australia would make it very special,” she said.
“I’ve been training with the senior squad since September and it has been a big step up from the under-18s. It has been a lot more intense and there has been a lot more tactical and strategic knowledge to absorb.
“I want to go out there and get that first cap out of the way and not be too overwhelmed. It’s crazy to think I’m going to be a part of something like the Commonwealth Games, but I’m just viewing it as a chance to make the most of doing something I love.
“My school have been very supportive and my parents are coming out to watch me. My head of year at school keeps telling me there will be plenty of time to revise for my A-levels.
“We’re back home on April 16 and exams don’t start until May. He also told me to make the most of the 25-hour flights.”
Bedford school sixth former Ethan Vernon is the youngest member of the Welsh cycling team at 17 and is studying maths, geography and design technology at A-level. He still has another year to go at school and intends to join British Cycling’s Senior Academy when he leaves next year.
A former European No 2 in BMX, he took up road and track cycling at 15 and will compete in the team pursuit, individual pursuit and 1km races at the Gold Coast games.
During his GCSEs he was forced to train more creatively so his studies were not interrupted, and used to include a 70-mile detour on his way to school to ensure he clocked up the necessary mileage.
“It has still not fully sunk in and won’t until I get there. My main aim this year is to break the world record in the individual pursuit, and then go on to the world championships at the end of August – this is all part of my journey to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo,” he said.