In Pictures: Welsh sporting photos of 2024

In a year dominated by the Olympics, it has been another gripping 12 months of sporting drama in Wales.

There has been agony and ecstasy for our national footballers while Wrexham's staggering rise showed no signs of faltering.

It has been a tumultuous period for our rugby stars but there was golden glory for our cricketers, boxers, cyclists and Olympians.

Here BBC Sport Wales looks at a selection of some of the most striking sports photographs taken during 2024.

Mud glorious mud

The year kicked off in a Bridgend mud-bath on New Year's Day.

Ospreys beat Cardiff on their way to reaching the knockout stages of the United Rugby Championship (URC) and Europe.

But by the end of 2024, they would part company with head coach Toby Booth and Cardiff would be flying the flag for Wales in the URC.

Walking with giants

For 20 wonderful, dizzying minutes, Newport were eyeing a genuine FA Cup giant-killing when Bryn Morris kick-started a comeback against Manchester United.

County levelled at 2-2 before United edged clear to win 4-2 on a wonderfully raucous night at Rodney Parade.

If you're good enough, you're old enough

Dafydd Jenkins, the 21-year-old lock from Exeter Chiefs, became the second youngest Wales captain in history when he led his country against Scotland in the opening match of a winless Six Nations.

He was the youngest Wales captain in more than half a century, since a 20-year-old Sir Gareth Edwards in 1968.

So near but yet... Dan James is consoled after his penalty miss

On a night of crushing disappointment, Wales agonisingly missed out on qualification for Euro 2024 after a penalty shootout defeat in their play-off final against Poland.

It would signal the end for manager Robert Page who departed after disappointing summer friendlies against Gibraltar and Slovakia - with his former team-mate Craig Bellamy taking over to steer Wales back to the top tier of the Nations League in November.

He's done what?

Louis Rees-Zammit stunned everyone, including Wales head coach Warren Gatland, by switching to American football to pursue a childhood dream of playing in the National Football League.

We're going up... again

The Wrexham roller-coaster showed no signs of coming off the tracks by securing back-to-back promotions to League One in April.

Take that!

In just her seventh professional fight, Olympic gold medallist Lauren Price became the first ever female boxing world champion from Wales with a unanimous points victory over Jessica McCaskill.

The WBA, IBO and Ring Magazine welterweight champ later beat Bexcy Mateus to set up mouthwatering unification bout with Natasha Jonas next year.

Count them, one, two... three!

A record 33 Welsh Olympians represented Team GB at Paris 2024 - the largest Welsh contingent at an Olympics.

And those Welsh Olympians bagged a record 13-medal haul, including three golds, three silvers and seven bronze.

Sprint cyclist Emma Finucane became the first Welsh athlete to win three medals at a single games, which saw her crowned BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year.

Matt Richards won gold and silver in the pool

Elinor Barker, Jess Roberts and Anna Morris won Women's Team Pursuit bronze

Welsh sailor Chris Grube shows remarkable balance... and bravery

Ruby Evans became the first Welsh gymnast to compete at the Olympics since 1996

But there was heartache for former champion Jade Jones

Welsh Paralympians celebrated their best medal haul in 20 years after winning 16 medals in Paris, including seven golds.

Among the golds were...

Sabrina Fortune in the F20 shot put gold with a world record

Matt Bush in the Men's K44 +80kg taekwondo

And Jodie Grinham won archery gold and bronze while pregnant

New season, old rivalries

Cardiff City and Swansea City resumed hostilities in the new Championship season, though Erol Bulut was soon sacked as Bluebirds manager, replaced by Omer Riza.

Champions again

Welsh cricket enjoyed a successful year in the limited overs format with Glamorgan winning the One Day Cup for the second time in four years after Welsh Fire reached the final of The Hundred at Lord's.

That venue had already proved successful for Glamorgan captain Sam Northeast, who hit the highest first-class score recorded at Lord's with an unbeaten 335 against Middlesex.

Wales woes

Wales failed to win a single Test match throughout 2024 with a run of 12 defeats in a row - the worst run in the team's 143-year history - but head coach Warren Gatland was backed by the Welsh Rugby Union to lead the team to next year's Six Nations.

His Wales Women counterpart Ioan Cunningham was not of the same mind, resigning in November.

History makers

But the year finished on a glorious high as Wales qualified for their first major tournament - Euro 2025 - as they stunned the Republic of Ireland in Dublin in their play-off final.

There, they face a tough group alongside holders England, former winners Netherlands and France.