Nia Jones: Reading FC Women defender targets WSL 1 after move

Nia Jones has won 24 international caps for Wales

Welsh dual sport international Nia Jones is targeting promotion to WSL 1 following her move to Reading Women.

Jones signed for the Royals after she was overlooked for Wales's squad for the Netball World Cup in August.

The 23-year-old was in the team for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, while she has also won 24 caps as a footballer.

"We are definitely contenders for Super League 1. You need a strong, 23-man squad, which I think we have in place now," she told BBC Sport.

"That's thanks to the signings that Kelly Chambers has made and the development of the players she's bringing through."

Jones, who admitted to experiencing "turbulence" while attempting to play two sports, now intends to focus more on her football career following her Reading move.

"We have programs to do outside the training, so there's not much time for netball," she said.

"It might have to take a little backwards step this summer, but I'm definitely not hanging up my netball trainers just yet."

Jones's netball side Celtic Dragons finished seventh in the Superleague last season

The former Cardiff City centre-half made 30 appearances for Netball Superleague side Celtic Dragons last season, gaining experience she feels has helped her development as a footballer.

"I think they're more similar than people give them credit for," she added.

"We do similar sorts of fitness drills and tests for both sports. You've got be agile and quick.

"I definitely think that playing netball has benefitted me with football, organisationally as well, working on my communication."