Team GB

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Back in 2020, Rupert Shipperley quit his job as a geography teacher to train with Great Britain and pursue his dream of going to an Olympics - but within weeks the Tokyo Games had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shipperley used the delay to his advantage, establishing himself on the GB programme, and his Olympic dream came true.

He can now boast 48 caps for Great Britain and 106 for Wales and will be hoping for some silverware in Paris this summer.

Shipperley said: "I'm incredibly honoured to be selected for my second Olympics. We hope to showcase our sport to the world and, as a team, we have high expectations. I can't wait to get started."

The GB men's hockey team get their campaign under way on Saturday, 27 July with a pool A match against Spain.

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Gareth Furlong may have been a late bloomer on the GB programme, but he has long been a legend in Welsh hockey circles - and literally in opposition defensive circles, if you've seen his drag flicks.

His tally of 148 caps for Wales puts him in a very select group of people to represent the nation so often.

He scored on his GB debut in June and will now hope to fire them to their first Olympic gold since 1988.

"There are five or six really competitive sides there but we definitely want to be on the podium at the end of the Games," he said.

Team GB's men's hockey side begin their campaign against Spain on Saturday, 27 July.

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It is rare for a 21-year-old to be making their Olympic debut with the weight of expectation on their shoulders, but Emma Finucane is no ordinary 21-year-old.

The sprint cyclist from Carmarthen is already a world champion and European champion and on her day is the undisputed best.

She is in contention to challenge for three golds in Paris, though a lot can happen in track sprinting. Either way, it should be box office.

"I'm driven by being successful and winning Olympic gold medals," Finucane said.

Finucane's schedule begins with the women's team sprint, which kicks off the track cycling programme on Monday, 5 August.