2022 Commonwealth Games: Team Wales announce seven weightlifters for Birmingham

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Media caption,

Jones dreaming of Commonwealth medal

Team Wales have qualified seven weightlifters for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in August.

Christie-Marie Williams will compete at her third Commonwealths, while Amy Salt and Michael Farmer will both make their Games debuts.

Selected for a second Games are Hannah Powell, Catrin Jones, Faye Pittman and Jordan Sakkas.

"We have a mix of experience and future potential within our squad," said Weightlifting Wales coach Ray Williams.

"Each athlete has shown a lot of resilience and determination in what has been a turbulent last couple of years with the pandemic, and no face-to-face events from late 2019 up until early 2022.

"Our athletes will be the very best they can be at Birmingham 2022 and we have already started preparations for Victoria 2026 with our crop of talented development athletes."

Welsh weightlifters have won more than 50 Commonwealth medals since first appearing in the 1954 Vancouver Games.

Gareth Evans won Wales' first gold four years ago at Gold Coast 2018. He announced his retirement from the sport earlier this year.

"I can remember vividly in Gold Coast when weightlifting won the first gold for Team Wales," said Team Wales Chef de Mission Nicola Phillip.

"Witnessing Gareth Evans clinch that gold is one of my fondest sporting moments.

"I look forward to watching the athletes enter the competition platform this summer.''

The weightlifting competition will be held at the NEC Arena, beginning on Saturday, 30 July.

Team Wales - Weightlifting

Hannah Powell - 49kg

Catrin Jones - 55kg

Christie-Marie Williams - 64kg

Faye Pittman - 71kg

Amy Salt - 76kg

Michael Farmer - 73kg

Jordon Sakkas - 109kg