Wales – Ben Evans Portfolio

Paralympic Gold-Medallist, James Roberts, Retires after Incredible 2021

Tokyo 2020 gold-medallist, James Roberts, experienced a remarkable 2021. A year that saw him win gold in the wheelchair rugby event, a year that saw him be awarded an MBE, and a year that has seen him retire from his sport.

Incredibly, Roberts only began playing wheelchair rugby in 2013, and by May of 2014, he was already selected to be part of the Great Britain wheelchair rugby squad. The Welshman has both his legs amputated below the knee and had limited movement in his arms and hands after contracting meningitis toward the end of his first year at university.

Considered Great Britain’s primary playmaker, at the time, he helped inspire his side to the 2015 European title thanks to a riveting 49-48 defeat of defending champions Sweden in Finland.

He was also the standout offensive player for Great Britain at Rio 2016, who narrowly missed the semi-final stage with a two-goal loss to Australia and a heart-breaking one-goal defeat to Canada in overtime in the pool stage.

After all that, he finally won his first gold in Tokyo and said that the feeling afterwards was “relief”.

“My feeling at the time was probably one of relief, one for the games that had actually gone ahead and relief that we were good enough and then a little bit of relief that it was sort of done and dusted for me to be honest.

“Now that I’m retired I can look back on it a lot more fondly I guess, but it was a massive relief at the time but obviously that relief has turned to a lot of celebration.”

Roberts also expressed his disappointment for the Japanese people who were not able to show off their country as much as they could’ve been able to.

“I’m gutted for the Japanese people. They didn’t get to show off their country more to all spectators and fans that were there supporting. They’re brilliant out there, the Japanese and they would’ve put on an even better show than they did.”

It was also reveleaed that James has been included on the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list and will receive his MBE for services to sport.

“It was definitely very special getting that letter, it’s something that some amazing people have achieved before me and I’m honoured to be named amongst that elite group of people.”

After what was certainly a memorable year. The gold-medallist has recently announced his retirement from sport and will now take time to be with his family and friends, as well as, getting back into the professional working life he had before he became a professional athlete.

“It feels much more special than anything I’ve ever won”, Paralympian, Paul Karabaradak, Reflects on his 2021

At the fourth time of trying, 36-year-old, Paul Karabaradak finally picked up his first medals at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo and reflecting on the year he’s had, believes it’s his most “special” as a professional sportsman.

The Swansea-born para table tennis player suffered a massive stroke at the age of 10 and since then got a real passion for his sport after playing in his local youth club.

He went on to represent his country at a number of events, that have taken him across the world. However, it was the medals he won last summer in Tokyo that have meant the most to him.

“It was a big relief. It was fantastic. I’d worked towards it for such a long time, and you start to think it will never happen. I mean, I’d been to three Paralympics and I’d always wanted to win a medal so to have all my years of hard work and sacrifice pay off was fantastic.”

Although the experience of being in Tokyo was “a bit strange” to Karabardak, whilst we are all in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it did not take away from what he achieved whilst out there.

When comparing the medals that he has won throughout his career, his bronze and silver medals from the games will always mean the most to him.

“The Paralympics is the pinnacle. I’ve won a lot of great medals; World Championships, European Championships, I’ve won a lot of opens that have been special medals in themselves but to win medals in the games is extra special and I think it’s ultimately, it feels much more special than anything I’ve ever won.”

Paul won the bronze medal in the men’s class 6 singles and a silver in the class 6-7 team event, alongside his teammate, Will Bayley. Bayley being a six-time Paralympic medal winner.

Speaking about his teammate, Karabaradak was full of praise: “It was fantastic to play with Will. He’s one of the best in the world and he’s won a lot. He’s a big name in the sport and we’re really good friends as well, so, to play with him is a huge honour. It was really special.”

Looking ahead to the future, the Welshman isn’t slowing down yet.

“This year, I’m just training hard because I think there’s still a while before my first competition so I want to do well in them but the big one this year is the World Championships in Spain.

“Obviously, I want to try and win a medal there, in singles and doubles. I think the future holds; training hard, gaining more Olympic success, working hard and most importantly, enjoying what I do, and the sport that I love.”

The Story of how Welsh-Woman, Storm Trentham, Helped Bring Lacrosse to Kenya

Storm Trentham and two of the Kenyan girls.

Former Welsh lacrosse player, Storm Trentham, achieved a lot in her playing and coaching career in Wales, but the story of how she helped bring the sport to Kenya is nothing short of life changing.

After a successful playing and coaching career in both Wales and briefly in Australia, Trentham had decided she wanted a new challenge. A challenge that led her to Africa.

In 2007, she volunteered for a sports charity in Kenya and every trip to the country, highlighted the fact that the boys had plenty of sports to play, whilst the girls did not.

What began as just taking some lacrosse equipment out there whenever she got the chance, turned into so much more. “I never intended for it to turn into an international setup, it really was just to give the girls something to get involved in”, said Trentham.

“I was still heavily involved with Wales [lacrosse] during these early years so, there was no way I could get involved with two international programmes. It was the 2015 World Cup that changed my thoughts to get it from a recreational sport to making history”.

After years of hard work, over 400 young women have now signed up and are playing lacrosse regularly within Kenya. Not only that but in 2019, Storm and the girls made history when they travelled to the Under 19s World Championships in Canada to compete.

Speaking on the experience in Canada, she said: “Every day was a first for the girls. From using washing machines to toasters, for some going into a big shopping mall and all sorts. So many things we take for granted in the western world, yet for our girls, it was fascinating.

“Once we got to the World Champs venue, the girls were more than celebrities. Everyone wanted to meet them, have photos. Even the likes of the USA and Canada, who were the big guns of the event.

“It was pretty special, and the players deserved every bit of it. What I really loved was that they weren’t just the all-singing, all-dancing Kenya team. When they got on the pitch, and particularly when we narrowly lost to Germany by 1 goal, who finished top 8, that result really made people think ‘wow Kenya are here to play too!’. I was proud of how they conducted themselves in an alien environment and situation.”

After what was a life-changing experience in Canada, the girls are now aiming to compete at the next World Championships in 2022, which will take place in Shamrock, Ireland.

Storm’s work has saved the lives of so many young girls. Girls whose lives now revolve around the sport, and this can be seen from the pride that each and every one of them radiate.

From Wales to Kenya, she cannot say enough nice words about her experiences. “I’d take being in Kenya, in our slums, with these kids over any 5* holiday, I’d rather give a child a year of school fees than receive birthday presents, etc, it just changes your mindset as to what is important in life.

“It makes you realise that so many people need support, and not in a huge way, but we can really change lives, without really having to change ours.

“The kids of Kenya have impacted my life more than I have impacted theirs and I’m truly grateful for each and every one of these players in my life.”

“Mentally, I’m a lot stronger than I was”, says Welsh gymnast, Holly Jones

Holly Jones in 2018. Taken from WelshGymnastics.org.

Welsh gymnast, Holly Jones, believes she is physically and mentally stronger, heading into her second Commonwealth Games, stating that she is more prepared for this year’s games in Birmingham.

Jones, who is studying sports science at Swansea University, is currently preparing to represent Wales in her second Commonwealth Games, after narrowly missing out on a podium finish in 2018.

The Swansea-based gymnast travelled to the Australia games not knowing what to expect, but states, “it was one of the best experiences of my life”.

“I just loved every bit about the games, it was such a surreal feeling competing at such a big event and seeing famous athletes in the village.

“It was definitely the biggest competition I’ve done and after working so hard to get there, it was one of the best feelings knowing that all my hard work paid off.”

Four years on, 20-year-old, Jones, is relishing the prospect of competing in the UK.

“In Australia, only my coaches and parents went out to watch me compete, so in these games, it’ll be nice for my family and friends to come and support me!”

Almost four years older than she was when she made the trip Down Under, Jones is feeling stronger, both in body and in mind.

“I think physically I’ve definitely improved in my gymnastics, but I’d say especially mentally I’m a lot stronger than I was.

“Last games, I was only 17 and just turned a senior, so I didn’t have a lot of international experience. I went into those games just to enjoy and take in the experience.

“I know I will definitely be carrying that experience with me now.”

Jones has said that she was inspired by the Welsh team that won bronze in the 2014 games in Glasgow, believing if they can do it, so can she.

Speaking on her team in Swansea, she praised the support and facilities on offer to her, stating, “they’ve given me a great support system and have backed me 100%”.

The Welsh gymnast will be full of confidence heading in 2022 after recently regaining her British vault title and picking up a silver medal at the Northern Europeans in November.

Fans of the sport will be excited to watch Holly compete in Birmingham later this year, and with her expressing a desire to pursue gymnastics, the sport that she loves, for years to come, a podium finish would certainly be the cherry on the top of a great start to her career.

“If you’d told us we’d be sitting clear in second at this stage, I think we would have bitten your hand off”, says Wales’s Helen Ward

After Wales Women’s recent World Cup Qualifying games against Greece and France, all-time leading goal scorer, Helen Ward, believes that her side is well-aware of the task they face going into 2022 but go in with a great deal of confidence and a great year behind them.

At the back end of November, Wales beat Greece 5-0 and fell to a narrow 2-0 defeat to group leaders, France. Wales had one of their greatest performances against France, with goals the only thing missing from their trip to Guingamp.

Speaking on the games, Ward said: “We always knew both games were going to be very different tests and that proved to be the case.

“I thought it was a really dominant performance from start to finish and then the result Greece then went on to get a few days later in Slovenia [0-0] goes to show just how well we played.

“The France game was always going to be a really difficult game, but the girls put in a huge effort, and we were so unlucky not to come away with a point.

“It was disappointing to be down to 10 again and who knows, maybe with 11 we could have snatched something, but it wasn’t to be.”

SGÔR TERFYNOL 🇫🇷 2-0 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Fine margins and a performance to be proud of against one of the world's top teams 👏 #BeFootball | #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/KtbSluyKe6
— Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@Cymru) November 30, 2021

Wales currently sits second in Group I, with four games left to play. With the next round of games scheduled to be played in April of next year, the Welsh striker believes that the country is in a great position to go through.

“I think if you’d told us we’d be sitting clear in second at this stage, I think we would have bitten your hand off. Not because we wouldn’t have that expectation on ourselves, but you just never know how things will plan out.

“We’ve played everyone at least once now, so we have a good feel of the group, and we go into 2022 full of confidence.”

Reflecting on the quality of football shown in the game against France, Ward states that this confidence that Wales has grown has been building for some time.

“I think the confidence has been growing over the last two or three years.

“Although we didn’t score against France, I think it’s the closest we’ve come to doing so against a top side and that shows we’ve grown”.

We’ve seen several young players begin to break into this hungry Welsh side over the last year, and the Watford striker is excited to see how far they can all go.

“We have been so lucky to find some really, really talented kids in the last few years and the best thing about them is that most of them are in full-time environments with top teams.

“That’s something that the older lot never had at their age and they’re coming into camps ready to compete for a place in the team which is amazing.”

Wales take on France in April with Ward and the rest of the squad ready to continue their fantastic run in the Women’s World Cup Qualifying campaign, in their quest of reaching a first major tournament.

Welsh Boxing Legend Colin Jones Appointed MBE

Former Welsh boxer, Colin Jones, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours services for services to boxing and received his medal at Windsor Castle last week.

Jones, experienced an incredible career in both amateur and professional boxing. A knockout specialist who won 26 of his 30 fights, with 23 coming by KO finish. He became the British, Commonwealth and European welterweight champion and before turning professional he also represented Great Britain at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.

Speaking on his MBE award in Windsor, Jones said: “It’s unique really. It’s very hard to put it into words, it was such a big occasion, to be honoured in that respect and outside of the boxing fraternity, it was something different and unique.

“It’s a fantastic couple of days when you go there and have your honour. It’s nice for the family and it’s nice for everybody in boxing as well, to share that with you”.

Welsh rugby captain, Alun Wyn Jones was also present to receive his OBE award on the day and Jones described the day as a “real eye-opener”, with regards to the occasion.

As such an accomplished professional, Jones ranks this award up there with his 1983 BBC Sports Wales Personality of the Year award and his first British title against Kirkland Laing, stating, “this award is certainly up there with all my boxing accolades throughout my career”.

The Swansea-born boxer now finds himself coaching amateurs with the Welsh Boxing Association. For some, making the switch from fighting to coaching can be a real challenge but for Jones “it’s like riding a bike, once you do it, it comes to you easily. I’ve been in the game since the age of nine so making the transition was something I’ve found quite easy”.

Welsh boxing has risen considerably over the last few decades but even more so in the 2000s. Working with the number of amateurs that he currently is, Jones says he is working with an “elite group”, with many aiming to make a name for themselves at the Commonwealth Games that will take place next year in Birmingham.

The former professional also highlighted the recent achievements of Olympic gold-medalist, Lauren Price, stating she could achieve just as much once she makes the transition to professional. Price being a product of the boxing programme he currently coaches with.

There’s no doubt that with Colin Jones coaching the “budding superstars” of today, Wales could see many a more champions begin to emerge in the next few years.