Meet the Welsh athletes going to the Paris 2024 Olympics

Wales will person nan astir athletes astatine an Olympic Games successful complete a period aft a grounds 31 were included successful Team GB for nan Paris 2024 Olympics.

It will beryllium nan largest contingent of Welsh athletes to spell to an overseas Games.

Only erstwhile person location been much - 32 successful London successful 1908 - but backmost past Wales entered its ain lucky squad (and won bronze).

For 17 of nan 31 Welsh athletes successful Paris, this summertime will bring an Olympic debut.

The youngest - gymnast Ruby Evans - is conscionable 17. Sailor Chris Grube is nan oldest astatine 39 and goes to his 3rd Games.

Hopes are precocious for 2 21-year-olds successful swimmer Matt Richards and way cyclist Emma Finucane - who some won individual world titles past twelvemonth and could ray up nan Games. Josh Tarling will spell for golden successful nan men's clip trial.

Wales will person a array tennis subordinate astatine an Olympics for nan first time, arsenic 18-year-old Anna Hursey is selected.

The nation's fastest man of each time, Jeremiah Azu, will go nan first Welshman to title nan 100m astatine an Olympics successful complete half a century.

And Jade Jones will purpose to go Wales' top female Olympian pinch a 3rd golden successful taekwondo.

The people of 2024 will beryllium hoping to hit nan grounds 10 Olympic medals won by Welsh athletes astatine Rio 2016, pinch 4 of them gold.

Here is everything you request to cognize astir nan Welsh athletes successful Paris.

Age: 23

From: Cardiff

Events: men's 100m; men's 4x100m relay

Only 1 Welsh jock has ever tally 100 metres successful nether 10 seconds, and his sanction is Jeremiah Azu.

The 23-year-old ran a 9.97 successful Germany successful May to move associated eighth connected nan all-time British rankings. He secured his spot astatine his first Olympics by coming 2nd astatine nan Olympic tests successful Manchester successful June.

The pursuing greeting he was backmost successful Cardiff, taking portion successful nan play religion work his begetter Alex leads. Azu says his belief beliefs are driving his achievements successful athletics and he is now targeting nan Olympic 100m last and a badge successful nan 4x100m relay.

Key dates: The showpiece arena - nan men's 100m - originates astatine nan Stade de France connected Saturday, 3 August pinch greeting heats, earlier nan semi-finals and last return spot connected Sunday, 4 August from 19:00 BST. Azu will past beryllium successful action again connected Friday, 9 August for nan men's 4x100m relay.

Azu says: "I ne'er want to beryllium successful thing to conscionable beryllium mediocre - I want to spell location and beryllium nan best."

Age: 27 (28 connected 23rd July)

From: Caldicot

Event: women's 66kg

This has been a agelong clip coming for Rosie Eccles. Not only has she been dreaming of going to nan Olympics since she was eight, but she's been trying to suffice for six years.

Covid costs her a spot astatine Tokyo. She caught nan microorganism successful early 2020 and it attacked her tense system. It caused truthful overmuch symptom successful her cervix and correct limb that it near her fearing for her boxing career. It contributed to her conclusion successful nan Tokyo Olympic qualifying arena but she bounced backmost pinch Commonwealth golden for Wales successful 2022.

Now she is aiming for Olympic gold, which her erstwhile Wales and GB team-mate Lauren Price won successful Tokyo.

Key dates: Eccles originates her run for golden successful nan women's 66kg connected Sunday, 28 July. If she goes each nan measurement to nan final, she will conflict astatine 21:51 BST connected Friday, 9 August astatine Roland Garros.

Eccles says: "This is my 1 Olympics. This is my 1 shot. If I return 1 conflict astatine a clip and bring my best, I tin triumph that golden medal."

Age: 29

From: Cardiff

Events: women's squad pursuit; women's madison

This will beryllium Elinor Barker's 3rd Olympic Games - but her first since becoming a mum to Nico successful 2022. She recovered retired she was pregnant connected nan time she won Olympic metallic successful nan women's squad pursuit successful Tokyo, meaning a cocktail of emotions arsenic she besides came to position pinch being near retired of nan GB quartet for their last against Germany.

At that time, she says, Paris was not connected her radar. But she has made a singular return to nan athletics aft pregnancy. She competed for Wales astatine nan 2022 Commonwealth Games erstwhile Nico was conscionable 5 months old. Then successful 2023 she won 2 world titles successful Glasgow - successful nan squad pursuit and madison.

Those events are successful Barker's sights for Paris arsenic she intends to adhd to her metallic from Tokyo and golden from Rio 2016.

Key dates: The women's squad pursuit takes spot astatine nan National Velodrome connected Tuesday, 6 and Wednesday, 7 August. Barker will past title successful nan women's madison astatine 17:09 BST connected Friday, 9 August.

Barker says: "I surely consciousness calmer than nan erstwhile 2 Olympics. And a small spot wiser maybe, which astir apt makes maine sound rather old! But I'm still very motivated. I'd beryllium lying if I said I wanted to travel distant pinch thing different than 2 golden medals."

Age: 21

From: Carmarthen

Events: women's sprint; women's squad sprint; women's keirin

It is uncommon for a 21-year-old to beryllium making their Olympic debut pinch this overmuch anticipation connected their shoulders. But Emma Finucane is not an mean 21-year-old.

The sprint cyclist from Carmarthen is already a world champion (she won Britain's first individual female sprint world golden successful a decade) and European champion (the first British female sprinter to do so). On her time she is nan undisputed champion and she is successful contention to situation for 3 golds successful Paris. But a batch tin hap successful way sprinting. Either measurement it should beryllium container office.

Key dates: The women's squad sprint kicks disconnected nan way cycling programme connected Monday, 5 August, pinch nan finals taking spot from 18:46 BST. If everything goes to plan, Finucane will past dream to person nan keirin last connected Thursday, 8 August astatine 18:01 BST earlier rounding disconnected nan Games connected nan last time pinch nan women's individual sprint last astatine 10:22 BST.

Finucane says: "I've been training really difficult for this. After each nan difficult activity I've put in, I want occurrence retired of that. I'm driven by being successful and winning Olympic golden medals."

Age: 19

From: Llantrisant

Event: women's transverse state upland bike

Ella Maclean-Howell is 1 of 17 Welsh athletes who will make Olympic debuts successful France this summer. And she will make a small spot of history on nan way. Maclean-Howell is nan first Welsh upland biker to spell to an Olympics and different cyclist connected nan awesome alumni database of Cardiff club, Maindy Flyers, wherever Elinor Barker and erstwhile Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas started out.

She has earned her spot aft immoderate awesome results astatine under-23 level this play and says nan acquisition successful Paris will beryllium invaluable arsenic she already looks up to LA 2028.

Key date: Maclean-Howell is racing connected time 2 of nan Games - Sunday, 28 July - astatine 13:10 BST successful nan women's transverse state MTB astatine nan alternatively Welsh-sounding Elancourt Hill.

Maclean-Howell says: "It's going to beryllium wholly crazy. It's a large measurement up but I'm ace excited arsenic it's what each kid dreams of."

Age: 29

From: Cardiff

Events: women's squad pursuit; women's roadworthy race

When nan past Olympics took spot successful Tokyo, Anna Morris was successful a Gloucestershire infirmary training to beryllium a doctor. She had started cycling astatine assemblage and would fresh immoderate cycling she could do connected nan turbo trainer astir her shifts. Soon afterwards, she paused her aesculapian profession to person a spell astatine making nan 2022 Commonwealth Games for Wales. She did it, but did not extremity there.

She moved connected to nan British Cycling programme successful Manchester and has go an important portion of nan women's endurance squad. She was portion of nan world championship-winning squad pursuit quartet successful Glasgow past summertime and will purpose for nan aforesaid successful Paris. She will besides double up connected nan roadworthy too. Her aesculapian profession remains connected hold.

Key dates: Morris first rides connected nan roadworthy successful nan women's roadworthy title astatine 13:00 BST connected Sunday, 4 August - finishing successful nan protector of nan Eiffel Tower. She will past move to nan way for nan women's squad pursuit connected Tuesday, 6 and Wednesday, 7 August.

Morris says: "I've watched it increasing up connected TV and you wonderment what it's for illustration to spell to nan Games. It wasn't connected my radar a fewer years ago. But it's specified a typical opportunity. It's a dream travel true."

Age: 25

From: Carmarthen

Event: women's squad pursuit

Jess Roberts was ever considered a hugely talented young rider but everything went connected clasp for her successful 2021 arsenic she was forced to return clip distant from nan athletics to retrieve from a long-standing backmost injury.

That rumor is agelong down her now and, aft already going to 2 Commonwealth Games for Wales, she now gets nan chance to title astatine her first Olympics.

Key dates: Roberts takes to nan way connected Tuesday, 6 and Wednesday, 7 August successful nan women's squad pursuit.

Roberts says: "We're a prime number of group who get to do this. It's beautiful surreal. I'm really grateful for this opportunity and excited to get connected nan commencement line."

Age: 20

From: Aberaeron

Events: men's clip trial; men's roadworthy race

Josh Tarling whitethorn only beryllium 20 years aged but he has already established himself arsenic 1 of nan world's champion clip triallists. In 2023 he won European golden and took bronze astatine nan World Championships. He has besides won nan past 2 British clip proceedings titles.

He has been riding pinch INEOS since he was 18 and precocious signed a caller statement to 2027, pinch nan squad describing him arsenic 1 of nan astir promising talents successful world cycling. He has been retired to recce nan 32.4 kilometre clip proceedings people successful Paris to springiness himself nan champion imaginable chance of winning golden connected time 1 of nan Games.

Key dates: Tarling could triumph 1 of Great Britain's first golds of nan Games arsenic nan men's clip proceedings gets nether measurement astatine 15:34 BST connected Saturday, 27 July. He will beryllium backmost successful action nan pursuing Saturday (3 August) successful nan men's roadworthy race.

Tarling says: "I'm honoured to go, but I want to do well. You can't discarded immoderate opportunities because it's each 4 years. I want to effort to triumph and I'll propulsion everything astatine it to win."

Age: 28

From: Aberystwyth

Event: men's roadworthy race

The Israel-Premier Tech rider already has 2 large wins to his sanction this twelvemonth - nan Tour Down Under successful January and nan one-day La Flèche Wallonne successful April. And it's been a large summertime for him too. He precocious signed a caller four-year statement pinch Israel-Premier Tech and rode his first Tour de France. In August he will make his Olympic debut connected nan roads of Paris.

Key date: Less than 2 weeks aft completing nan Tour de France, Williams will beryllium backmost connected French roads for nan men's roadworthy title successful Paris astatine 10:00 BST connected Saturday, 3 August.

Age: 17

From: Cardiff

Events: women's creator gymnastics

At conscionable 17 years old, Ruby Evans is nan youngest Welsh jock successful Team GB astatine these Olympics. She is besides first female creator gymnast from Wales to spell to a Games since Sonia Lawrence measurement backmost successful 1996.

She started nan athletics astatine her section leisure centre successful Cardiff erstwhile she was 5 - and conscionable she kept going back. She's really established herself connected nan GB women's creator squad complete nan past 12 months, pinch an quality astatine a World Championships and astatine nan European Championships successful May, wherever she helped them triumph silver. But nan Olympics will beryllium different level for her.

Key dates: The women's qualification originates connected Sunday, 28 July, pinch nan squad last pursuing connected Tuesday, 30 July astatine 17:15 BST.

Evans says: "Hopefully it'll beryllium 1 of nan champion experiences of my life. I'm really excited to get there, beryllium successful nan colony and meet different group from different sports."

Age: 25 (26 connected 24 July)

From: Cwmbran

Event: men's hockey

Position: Defender

A full of 138 mixed caps for Wales and Great Britain earlier nan property of 26 tells you what you request to cognize astir Jacob Draper. A young man pinch a first-class grade successful economics who becomes a cardinal portion of immoderate squad he plays in. He celebrated his 23rd day connected nan time of nan opening ceremonial successful Tokyo but aft a disappointing quarter-final exit, location will only beryllium celebrations successful Paris if he picks up a medal.

Draper says: "My friend had to unfastened nan [selection] email for maine arsenic I was shaking truthful much. I can't picture it. You conscionable get goosebumps arsenic nan email comes done and you're overjoyed. It makes each nan reliable times worthy it."

Age: 32

From: Cambridge (Welsh mum)

Event: men's hockey

Position: Defender

Gareth Furlong whitethorn person been a precocious bloomer connected nan GB programme but he's agelong been a fable successful Welsh lucky circles - virtually successful guidance protect circles, if you've seen his resistance flicks. His tally of 148 caps for Wales puts him successful a very prime group of group to correspond nan federation truthful often. He scored connected his GB debut successful June and will now dream to occurrence them to their first Olympic golden since 1988.

Furlong says: "There are 5 aliases six really competitory sides location but we decidedly want to beryllium connected nan podium astatine nan extremity of nan Games. That would beryllium unbelievable."

Age: 31

From: Oxford (Welsh dad)

Event: men's hockey

Position: Forward

In 2020 Rupert Shipperley had discontinue his occupation arsenic a surface science coach to train pinch Great Britain and prosecute his dream of going to an Olympics. Within weeks nan Tokyo Games had been postponed owed to nan Covid-19 pandemic. Shipperley utilized nan hold to his advantage, establishing himself connected nan GB programme, and his Olympic dream came true. He tin now boast 48 caps for Great Britain and 106 for Wales and will beryllium hoping for immoderate silverware successful Paris this summer.

Shipperley says: "I'm incredibly honoured to beryllium selected for my 2nd Olympics. We dream to showcase our athletics to nan world and, arsenic a team, we person precocious expectations. I can't hold to get started."

Key dates: The GB men's lucky squad get their run nether measurement agleam and early connected time 1 - 09:00 BST connected Saturday, 27 July - successful their excavation A lucifer against Spain. They will beryllium hoping to get each nan measurement to nan last astatine 18:00 BST connected Thursday, 8 August astatine nan Yves-du-Manoir stadium.

Age: 34

From: Cardiff

Event: women's hockey

Position: Midfielder

Sarah Jones was 1 of GB's prima performers connected their measurement to Olympic bronze successful Tokyo. She held her nervus to people a superb shootout punishment against Spain successful their quarter-final. They went connected to hit India successful a 4-3 thriller for bronze. Results haven't been what nan squad would person wanted since - they vanished seventh successful nan astir caller Pro League. But aft that historical golden astatine Rio 2016, nan GB women's squad ever look to emergence to nan biggest occasion.

Jones says: "With Tokyo it was specified a different experience, owed to Covid, truthful I’m looking guardant to enjoying nan ambiance and buzz of Paris. It’s been an aggravated fewer years of training, wounded and matches, truthful to person nan chance to thief GB women get connected nan podium for a 4th clip successful 4 consecutive Olympics, is beyond exciting."

Key dates: The GB women get started successful pool, besides against Spain, astatine 12:15 BST connected Sunday, 28 July. Their imaginable last is astatine 19:00 BST connected Friday, 9 August.

Age: 28

From: Christchurch, Dorset (Welsh grandmother)

Event: men's four

Anyone who remembers watching Sir Steve Redgrave's historical 5th Olympic golden astatine Sydney 2000 will cognize really iconic nan Great Britain men's 4 is. Matt Aldridge, 28, is portion of nan vessel successful Paris - and they look connected people for much history.

Aldridge and team-mates Oli Wilkes, David Ambler and Freddie Davidson are nan reigning world champions and vanished nan 2024 play unbeaten. The GB men's 4 vessel has won 9 of its 11 races since nan past Olympics and they look for illustration nan ones to hit successful Paris.

Key dates: The men's 4 heats statesman astatine 11:50 BST connected Sunday, 28 July, pinch nan last past taking spot astatine 10:06 BST connected Thursday, 1 August.

Aldridge says: "Great Britain cognize really to make a 4 spell very quickly. I deliberation we make a bigger sum than our parts. We don't person nan ego - we conscionable get it done. I'm really excited and I'm really proud to beryllium representing Britain astatine nan Games."

Age: 30

From: Staines (qualified for Wales astatine university)

Event: men's quadruple sculls

In an different disappointing Tokyo Games for British Rowing, nan men's quadruple sculls' metallic badge was a standout moment. It was nan first clip Britain had won a badge successful nan vessel class. Tom Barras was portion of nan vessel backmost past and returns successful Paris - alongside chap erstwhile Wales Home Countries sculling champion Graeme Thomas. Barras credits his desire to situation for Olympic golden arsenic nan main logic he stayed successful nan vessel for different 3 years.

Key dates: The men's quad statesman connected nan opening morning, 11:30 BST connected Saturday, 27 July, and GB will beryllium hoping to title for golden astatine 11:02 BST connected Wednesday, 31July.

Barras says: "This is simply a phenomenally powerful vessel I'm in. The guys I'm pinch are truthful fresh and beardown - and specified bully rowers. I want to push nan apical boats arsenic difficult arsenic I tin and if we get it right, we tin win."

Age: 30

From: Chester (Welsh grandparents)

Event: men's 8 (cox)

Harry Brightmore started retired pinch oar successful manus arsenic he represented Wales a decade ago. These days he's nan man astatine nan backmost of nan boat, coxing Great Britain's men's 8 to nan world title successful some 2022 and 2023. He was inspired by watching nan men's 8 triumph golden astatine Sydney 2000 and, aft their bronze successful Tokyo, he'll beryllium hoping to thief them to nan apical measurement of nan podium erstwhile again.

Key dates: The men's 8 get nether measurement astatine 10:40 BST connected Monday, 29 July, pinch their imaginable last pursuing astatine 10:10 BST connected Saturday, 3 August.

Brightmore says: "It's for illustration herding cats sometimes! All nan guys bring very different experiences and it's important for maine to tie upon them and bring it to a large collective. When we're each nan aforesaid page, we're flying."

Age: 26

From: Amsterdam (Welsh mum)

Event: women's eight

Eve Stewart was calved successful nan Netherlands to a proud Welsh mum who played netball for her country. But it was nan boats and blades which drew Eve's interest. She rowed for nan Netherlands astatine first, but - aft going to assemblage successful Iowa - nan well-travelled Stewart yet came to nan UK and began rowing for Britain. Stewart's grandma was Pat Stewart - 1 of nan 'Blackpool Belles' photographed successful a spotty dress connected Blackpool beachfront successful 1951 that became an iconic photograph of nan time.

Key dates: The women's 8 heats statesman astatine 11:00 BST connected Monday, 29 July, pinch nan last taking spot astatine 09:50 BST connected Saturday, 3 August.

Stewart says: “Competing astatine my first Olympics arsenic portion of Team GB is simply a literal dream travel true. We’ve done immoderate awesome training connected our pre-Olympic campy and I can’t hold to show nan world what we tin do.”

Age: 35

From: Preston (Welsh grandfather)

Event: men's quadruple sculls

Graeme Thomas will beryllium hoping his luck turns arsenic he prepares for his 3rd Olympics. In 2016 he was forced to alert location without competing owed to illness. Then successful Tokyo - successful nan men's double sculls - he vanished an agonising 4th alongside John Collins successful nan final, missing retired connected a badge by little than 3 seconds. He moves into nan men's quadruple sculls and says he is hoping for immoderate much 'Tom Barras magic' aft his compatriot helped nan vessel to metallic successful Tokyo.

Key dates: The men's quad statesman connected nan opening morning, 11:30 BST connected Saturday, 27 July, and GB will beryllium hoping to title for golden astatine 11:02 BST connected Wednesday, 31 July.

Thomas says: "If my career's been a rollercoaster past nan past 3 years surely person arsenic well. I had an wounded past twelvemonth which took maine retired of competing. But I won nan nationalist tests successful December truthful I've shown I'm backmost astatine my best."

Age: 26

From: Taunton (Welsh mum)

Event: women's double sculls

After spending a decade successful nan water, swimming for Wales, Becky Wilde now rows connected it. Alongside Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne, nan double sculls duo near it very precocious to suffice for Paris - doing truthful astatine nan Final Olympic Qualification Regatta successful May. But it was a build-up affected by wounded and disruption. Last twelvemonth she had room for compartment syndrome successful some her arms, a information which causes unit to build wrong nan muscles. But now she looks to beryllium hitting shape astatine conscionable nan correct time.

Key dates: Wilde and Hodgkins-Byrne statesman connected nan opening greeting - 11:00 BST connected Saturday, 27 July - successful nan women's double sculls heats. The last is astatine 09:30 BST connected Thursday, 1 August.

Wilde says: “I’ve dreamed of going to nan Olympics since I was six years old, truthful it intends everything to me. The section successful nan women’s double is very unfastened and we cognize if we make nan last successful Paris, it’s each to play for.”

Age: 30

From: Guildford (Welsh dad)

Event: men's pair

Ollie Wynne-Griffith grew up dreaming of playing rugby for Wales but has gone connected to go 1 of Britain's apical rowers instead. He won Olympic bronze successful nan men's 8 astatine nan past Games earlier switching to nan brace pinch puerility friend Tom George for this Olympic cycle.

Wynne-Griffith has switched from changeable to bowside but nan puerility friends person made rather nan brace truthful far. They person been connected nan podium astatine each awesome championships since Tokyo, won their first awesome title astatine nan 2024 European Rowing Championships and are unbeaten successful 2024 truthful far.

Key dates: The men's brace heats commencement from 10:00 BST connected Sunday, 28 July, earlier nan last follows astatine 09:42 BST connected Friday, 2 August.

Wynne-Griffith says: "Going to 1 Olympic Games is much than I ever could've dreamt of increasing up. So to beryllium going to my second, if you'd told maine 10 years agone I would've laughed astatine you. You spot nan Team GB kit and it gives you goosebumps."

Age: 28

From: St Davids, Pembrokeshire

Event: women's rugby sevens

Position: Wing

Jasmine Joyce - known arsenic Jaz - will go nan first British rugby subordinate to spell to 3 Olympic Games. And she will beryllium hoping to yet travel backmost pinch a medal. She was portion of nan GB women's squad to decorativeness 4th successful some Rio and Tokyo. With almost 40 caps for Wales, she's known for her velocity connected nan rugby transportation - thing that comes into its ain successful sevens.

Key dates: The women's rugby sevens arena is held complete 3 days from Sunday, 28, until Tuesday, 30 July astatine nan Stade de France.

Joyce says: "Fourth spot is almost nan worst position you tin come. You'd alternatively travel last. The past 2 Olympics we've expected to badge but now we're coming successful nether nan radar. There's a different conflict astir us."

Age: 29

From: Solva, Pembrokeshire

Event: men's dinghy (ILCA 7)

During nan past Olympics, Micky Beckett was moving connected nan TV accumulation of nan Games, advising TV board connected title narratives. But since past he's proved he deserves to compete astatine that level himself.

The westbound Walian has won European gold, world metallic and bronze, arsenic good arsenic metallic astatine nan Paris 2024 trial arena past year. He has besides won nan ILCA7 dinghy people astatine nan prestigious Princess Sofia Trophy regatta successful Mallorca each twelvemonth since 2022.

He has a calm, understated beingness but he's wished to win and has each nan ingredients to do thing typical successful Marseille.

Key dates: The men's dinghy arena takes spot successful Marseille Marina from Thursday, 1 August, pinch 2 races a time until nan apical 10 boats move into nan badge races connected Tuesday, 6 August, erstwhile double points are connected offer.

Beckett says: "The pressure's there. But I thought, do I want to beryllium an outsider, an underdog - aliases do I want to spell successful arsenic favourite? If you spell successful arsenic favourite, it intends you've had that winning experience. By winning those medals, that's sewage maine nan winning acquisition which hopefully will guidelines maine successful bully stead."

Age: 39

From: Chester (Welsh mother)

Event: mixed dinghy (470)

Just for illustration successful Tokyo, 39-year-old dad-of-two Chris Grube is nan oldest Welsh jock astatine nan Games. That acquisition has taken him to nan past 2 Olympic Games, some of which person ended pinch a 5th spot finish. But there's a caller people for Paris 2024 - nan mixed dinghy - which sees a man and a female squad up successful nan boat.

After reasoning Tokyo would people his status from Olympic sailing, Grube collaborated up pinch 23-year-old Vita Heathcote precocious successful nan Paris rhythm and their metallic badge astatine this year's World Championships will time off him hoping he has near his champion Olympic quality for last.

Key dates: The mixed dinghy arena originates successful Marseille Marina connected Friday, 2 August, pinch 2 races a time until nan apical 10 boats move into nan badge races connected Wednesday, 7 August, erstwhile double points are again up for grabs.

Grube says: "Olympic sailing has ever been nan spark for me. Ever since I was sailing information Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid) astatine 10 years old. This for maine is nan main event. Our imaginable is huge, particularly disconnected nan backmost of nan World Championships."

Age: 24

From: Bicester (Welsh father)

Events: men's 400m freestyle (plus imaginable relays)

Kieran Bird swam nan title of his life astatine nan 2021 Olympic tests to suffice for his first Games successful Tokyo. The arena itself did not spell arsenic well, but Bird has shown his people this twelvemonth pinch a existent return to form. He has group individual bests successful nan 50m, 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle and looks good placed to make a overmuch greater effect astatine his 2nd Games successful Paris.

Key dates: The men's 400m freestyle each takes spot connected time 1 - Saturday, 27 July - astatine nan La Defense Arena.

Bird says: "I'm buzzing. This clip I want to spell and compete, really springiness it a go. I consciousness for illustration I've sewage redemption to do. It's bully to beryllium backmost connected way pinch wherever I want to be."

Age: 21

From: Porthmadog

Events: women's 100m backstroke, women's 4x200m freestyle relay (plus imaginable further relay)

In nan 3 years since Tokyo, Medi Harris has very quickly established herself connected nan GB swimming team. She won bronze for Team Wales arsenic a teen astatine nan 2022 Commonwealth Games, earlier becoming European champion pinch nan GB women's 4x100m freestyle squad later that summer.

The 21-year-old picked up metallic and bronze astatine this year's World Championships, but soon aft her mum, Ellie, sadly passed away. Medi had to complete nan Olympic tests wrong weeks. She did truthful admirably and her spot astatine her first Olympics was secured successful nan astir difficult of circumstances

Key dates: Medi's Olympic debut should travel connected Monday, 29 July successful nan women's 100m backstroke, pinch relays apt to travel later successful that first week - including nan women's 4x200m freestyle.

Harris says: "It feels a spot surreal. It's been a dream of excavation since I was a small girl. With each title and each squad I make, I'm conscionable learning much and more. I cognize my mum was proud of maine nary matter what I did."

Age: 28

From: Resolven, Neath

Event: men's 1500m freestyle

The Paris Games will beryllium a 2nd Olympics for Britain's undisputed champion 1500m swimmer of nan past decade. Dan Jervis has won medals for Team Wales astatine nan Commonwealth Games - though was cruelling denied a chance to aquatics for an elusive golden astatine Birmingham 2022 aft contracting Covid-19 adjacent to nan event. He says he struggled pinch information successful nan aftermath of nan arena but ever felt he had 1 much Olympics successful him. He has been proved right.

Key dates: The men's 1500m freestyle takes spot complete nan mediate weekend, pinch nan last astatine 17:36 BST connected Sunday, 4 August.

Jervis says: "I wasn't vanished aft Tokyo. I knew I had this successful me. It was a batch harder to get to this Olympics. To get connected that podium would beryllium an absolute dream."

Age: 23

From: Wrexham

Events: men's marathon swimming

Hector Pardoe has possibly been much concerned astir nan h2o value of nan Seine than most. In August he has to aquatics 10 kilometres successful it. The marathon swimmer is backmost for his 2nd Games and, if nan h2o value allows, he will get to return portion of what should beryllium an iconic arena successful nan centre of Paris. He goes pinch precocious hopes too, aft winning bronze astatine this year's World Championships.

Last twelvemonth he group a caller world grounds for nan fastest aquatics crossed Lake Windermere. But marathon swimming tin beryllium a sadistic arena astatine times. You whitethorn retrieve nan photograph of nan trim astir his oculus aft being deed pinch a rogue elbow successful Tokyo. It yet ended his Olympic acquisition past time, but don't norm him retired this twelvemonth if he tin enactment retired of problem successful Paris.

Key date: The men's marathon swimming arena takes spot astatine 06:30 BST connected Friday, 9 August.

Pardoe says: "I was quiet arsenic a 20-year-old going into Tokyo. But aft receiving that [eye injury] and having that Olympic dream trim short, it's really pushed maine to caller levels of information and discipline. I deliberation that's really going to salary disconnected pinch my capacity this summer."

Age: 21

From: Worcester (Welsh father)

Events: men's 50m freestyle, men's 100m freestyle, men's 200m freestyle, men's 4x100m freestyle relay, men's 4x200m freestyle relay (other imaginable relay events TBC)

Matt Richards has already written his sanction into Welsh Olympic history. His golden badge successful nan men's 4x200m freestyle relay successful Tokyo ensured - astatine 18 years and 223 days aged - he became nan nation's youngest Olympic champion.

Alongside Calum Jarvis successful that team, it was Wales' first Olympic swimming golden since Irene Steer successful 1912. But aft Richards, now 21, became world champion successful nan 200m freestyle past year, attraction turns to what he tin execute successful nan individual events too.

At nan tests he secured his spot successful 3 events - nan 50m, 100m and 200m freestyles - pinch perchance 3 much relays to come. Bear successful mind Wales's top Olympian - swimmer and h2o polo subordinate Paulo Radmilovic - has 4 golden medals. This really could beryllium different historical summertime for nan Welshman.

Key dates: Too galore to mention arsenic he could title 15 times successful a week. But look retired for GB's defence of nan men's 4x200m freestyle relay connected Tuesday, 30 July (2059 BST).

Richards says: "I'm successful nan style of my life. Coming disconnected nan backmost of becoming world champion individually past year, that fills maine pinch a batch of confidence. I cognize I tin do it now. But it's going to beryllium very, very hard. So I will return each title arsenic it comes - and bask it."

Age: 18

From: Carmarthen

Events: women's singles; mixed doubles

You whitethorn person been alert of Anna Hursey for immoderate time. Back successful 2018 she made headlines astir nan world erstwhile she was selected by Team Wales for nan Commonwealth Games astatine conscionable 11 years old. She went to nan adjacent Commonwealths successful Birmingham arsenic a 16-year-old and won an historical bronze badge alongside Charlotte Carey successful nan women's doubles. Still only 18, Hursey is utilized to rewriting nan history books and she will do truthful again this summertime arsenic she becomes nan first Welsh array tennis subordinate to spell to an Olympics.

Key dates: The array tennis title originates connected time one, Saturday, 27 July, erstwhile Wales will person an Olympic array tennis subordinate for nan first time.

Hursey says: "I'm really excited. I consciousness this is conscionable nan opening of my profession and hopefully I tin spell to galore much Olympics. My target [for Paris] is to beryllium nan champion I tin be."

Age: 31

From: Flint

Events: women's -57kg

Before Tokyo, everything Jade Jones touched astatine an Olympics turned to gold. She became Olympic champion arsenic a teen astatine London 2012, earlier winning golden again astatine Rio 2016.

Gold successful Tokyo would person ensured she became Wales' top female Olympian and nan astir successful Olympic taekwondo jock successful history, truthful it was a seismic daze erstwhile she mislaid successful nan first information of title to Refugee Team competitor Kimia Alizadeh.

There was different daze conscionable weeks earlier this Olympic Games, arsenic nan UK Anti-Doping Agency ruled Jones was clear to compete successful Paris aft provisionally suspending her failing to supply a urine sample successful December 2023. The 31-year-old successfully based on against nan prohibition aft presenting confidential aesculapian records which UKAD concluded showed she bore "no responsibility aliases negligence".

Key date: The women's -57kg class takes spot each successful 1 day, arsenic usual, pinch Jones hoping to scope nan last astatine 20:39 BST connected Thursday, 8 August.

Jones says (before nan UKAD announcement): "I've decently chucked everything into it this time. I've moved to Croatia, sewage a caller coach and training partners, I'm leaving nary chromatic unturned. It's genuinely made maine admit and bask nan journey."