Glasgow 2014: Leanda Cave unhappy with Welsh selectors

Leanda Cave won triathlon silver for Wales at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester

Leanda Cave has criticised Wales triathlon selectors for failing to have a back-up plan for Glasgow 2014.

Both Non Stanford and Helen Jenkins were picked ahead of Cave, 36, but have since been ruled out with injury.

Team Wales said it cannot call up Cave, a double Ironman champion, because she was not nominated by Welsh Triathlon.

"I'm prepared to put it on the line for my country and I can't as the selectors didn't have the foresight to see they should always have a plan B," she said.

"We could have had the best team in the world and we are now down to nothing. I'm almost embarrassed for the Welsh team right now."

Anne Ellis, president of the Commonwealth Games Council for Wales and chair of the selection panel, said it was the responsibility of each governing body to nominate athletes who met its selection criteria.

"Team Wales has never received a nomination for Leanda Cave from Welsh Triathlon," she said.

"The late athlete replacement process is relatively straightforward, but we only have the option to consider late athlete replacements if we receive such a request from the sport involved."

Wales lost reigning world champion Stanford because of an ankle fracture in June, with Carol Bridge, a 29-year-old accident and emergency nurse, replacing her.

Two-time world triathlon champion Jenkins has now also been forced to withdraw from the Games with a foot injury.

Cave, who won the ITU World Championship and a Commonwealth Games silver in 2002, continued: "I wasn't even selected as reserve and the worst case scenario just happened with Helen pulling out.

"I can't imagine how awful this is for Helen. Before one of the biggest events of her career, she's injured again. It's a very sad state of affairs."

Triathlon Wales says it is deciding whether to replace Jenkins but said any decision will be made with "medal targets in mind".

Cave said it is probably too late for her to take part, although she insisted she was "in the shape of my life".

She added: "It's probably very unlikely even if they did want me on the team. I wouldn't be able to get through the red tape."