Wales select strong Commonwealth Youth Games squad

Wales have selected a 39-strong team for this summer's Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas.

Some of the nation's brightest talents from athletics, swimming, boxing, judo, tennis and rugby 7s will compete in the Games from 19-23 July.

The athletics squad includes Sarah Omoregie, 17, from Cardiff, the younger sister of 110m hurdles star David.

A squad of 12 to play for Wales in the women's rugby 7s tournament will be announced soon.

"It's very encouraging to see the calibre of young Welsh athletes coming through," said chair of Commonwealth Games Wales, Helen Phillips.

"Team Wales did particularly well in the 2015 Youth Games in Samoa, bringing home nine medals to Wales and delivering some outstanding performances.

"I have every confidence that our athletes will do their very best and make us proud once again this summer."

Rebecca Sutton, 16, from Bridgend, is one of 10 swimmers selected. She won two silvers and a bronze for Wales at the 2015 Games in Samoa.

"I'm so thrilled to be going again," she told BBC Wales Sport.

"It just pushes me and makes me want to be on a podium at Tokyo 2020."

Fellow swimmers Jazz Carlin and Elinor Barker, both 2016 Olympic medallists, began their careers by representing Wales at Commonwealth Youth Games.

Sutton - who trains in Cardiff - says being at a big multi-sport competition is a vital experience.

"Last time I went I was the youngest on the team and I was a bit nervous," she admitted.

"But when I got out there it was just incredible. This time I'll already have that knowledge.

"Fingers crossed I can bring back a gold for Team Wales."

The first Commonwealth Youth Games was held in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2000.

Seventy nations will compete in nine different sports this summer. The event claims to be the biggest sporting competition ever held in the Bahamas.

*Wales chef de mission Gerwyn Owen and discus thrower James Tomlinson will be live on Radio Wales Sport on Tuesday night 1900-2100 BST.

Wales squad:

ATHLETICS:

Bethany Moule (16, Neath Port Talbot), James Tomlinson (17, Pembrokeshire), Lauren Evans (16, Cardiff), Naomi Reid (16, Rhondda Cynon Taf), Oliver Barbaresi (17, Gwynedd), Sarah Omoregie (17, Cardiff).

BOXING:

Jacob Lovell (17, Cardiff), James Probert (16, Pembrokeshire), Jay Munn (18, Cardiff), John Wilson (17, Conwy), Rhys Edwards (17, Cardiff), Sammy Lee (18, Cardiff).

JUDO:

Callum Bennett (14, Carmarthenshire), Ffion Robinson (14, Carmarthenshire), Sam Ashton (17, Rhondda Cynon Taf).

SWIMMING:

Connor Bryan (16, Oxfordshire), Elena Morgan (14, Flintshire), Hannah Sloan (16, Vale of Glamorgan), Iestyn Cole (17, Carmarthenshire), Ioan Evans (15, Bridgend), Joseph Small (16, Shropshire), Lewis Fraser (16, Swansea), Medi Harris (14, Gwynedd), Megan Allison (15, Monmouthshire), Rebecca Sutton (16, Bridgend).

TENNIS:

James Story (16, Cardiff), Morgan Cross (15, Flintshire).

WOMEN'S RUGBY 7s:

TBC