Commonwealth Games: Team Wales boss Nicola Phillips proud of Birmingham performance
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Wales chef de mission Nicola Phillips says she is proud of the team that finished eighth in the Commonwealth Games medal table in Birmingham.
Wales collected 28 medals with eight golds, six silvers and 14 bronzes.
Phillips is not concerned Wales have not matched the record-breaking Gold Coast Games four years ago when there was a tally of 36 medals including 10 golds.
"They have done phenomenally well," said Phillips.
"We have had too many personal bests for us to even consider. We have had Games records on the cycling track, on the throws field, and had loads of Welsh records.
"That's what we asked the athletes, to come back with personal bests and Welsh records, and that's what they've done.
"We measure success by personal bests, Welsh records and Games records. Our athletes are competing alongside, not too shabbily, the world's best.
"They may have just missed out on medals sometimes, but when you look at how they've performed and their development that's what they want to see."
The tally in Australia included five shooting medals, with two golds, but the sport was not included in 2022.
The final breakdown for Wales in Birmingham was seven medals for track and road cycling, six for boxing, three in both athletics and bowls, two for judo, table tennis and swimming, and one each for squash, triathlon and rhythmic gymnastics.
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Phillips says she was not disappointed in Wales bringing back fewer medals than four years ago with 36 podium positions also achieved in Glasgow in 2014.
"That's why we don't emphasise the medal count, because they can only prepare to their best," added Phillips.
"They can't predict what other athletes are going to do and especially in these Games.
"If you look for comparison in the countries that went into complete lockdown that had no disruption of their training whatsoever, they could do lots of domestic competitions, they couldn't do international competitions.
"So they've sort of gained a year, a year and a half and nobody knew how that was going to pan out.
"So there was no point in trying to compare what you might do against another country. All they could do was compare to what they were preparing for."
Para athletes have led the way by contributing to half the golds with athletes Aled Sion Davies and Olivia Breen, cyclist James Ball and table tennis player Joshua Stacey all standing on top of the podium.
"I think the idea of integrating the Para events with the competitions in the Commonwealth Games is a fantastic idea, to see that inclusion is fulfilling the values," added Phillips.
"So the more we can have that and see a balanced competition, I think that would be great."