WElcoME To
sporTinGWalEs
I can get quite annoyed when people dismiss our Olympians as not quite being up to the mark. You
hear people saying that if someone comes fourth or fifth in an Olympic final, they were not good
enough to get a medal, if they get silver or bronze then it was not gold, if they get gold as part of a
relay then it was not on their own.

Why do some fans idolise team sports when the individual is probably not in the top 100 in the world,
but dismiss the individual achievements of people who prove themselves in the world’s top 10?

There are a few salutary facts to point out. No Welsh man or woman has won a gold medal since
Richard Meade won his second and third in 1972. Welsh competitors have won only 16 Gold medals
since 1896, only Meade and Lynn Davies have ever won individual gold medals.
That does not mean there have been few outstanding Welsh competitors, there have, but it shows the
scale of achievement at the Olympics is so great. Rather than expecting golds, we need to recognise
that reaching a final is phenomenal, a semi is still top 16 in the world, sometimes just getting to the
Olympics puts someone in the world’s top bracket.

It is a particularly worthwhile point to make this year. For Wales to win more than one or two medals
of any colour at an Olympics is rare, but more Welsh athletes are travelling to Beijing with realistic
chances of medals – including gold – than ever before.

Editor:
It would be a major shock if Geraint Thomas does not get gold in cycling’s team pursuit, while Nicole
Hamish Stuart
Cooke’s quiet build up could allow her gold-medal winning talent to come through in that complicated
event known as the Road Race. Helen Tucker travels as triathlon world champion, Tom James is in
art Director:
Britain’s top boat which has won gold at the last two Olympics, Tom Lucy would also expect to return
Paul Phillips
with a rowing medal in the eight. In the pool, David Davies should get at least one medal, again with
photography:
a realistic shot at gold, while Tom Haffield has been posting some of this year’s best times in the
Steve Pope
individual medley.

contributors:
Then there is Christian Malcolm. He was fifth in the world at the Sydney Olympics – fifth in the
staff and contributors
Richard Thomas
Gary Baker
world!! Injury and illness mean he may not have kicked on to even better things, but he can still be a
Jane Williams
contender in either the 200m or the 4x100 relay team. There are others who have worked wonders
YN DE
CHRA
U 8 MEDI
to get to Beijing and their stories are told in this edition of the magazine.
contributing photographers:

Huw John
ST
ARTS 8 SEPTEMBER
Tim Dickeson
It has been a great year so far for Welsh sport, it could be about to get better with a few Olympic
medals added to the list – or even just some outstanding Olympic performances!
publisher:
Sportingwales
22∑00
Finally, thanks again to the advertisers who make this magazine possible. They make it free to you, the
reader, and once again it is a quality list of backers for a quality magazine.
Managing Director:
Steve Pope

Sgorio
Hamish@sportingwales.com I Steve@sportingwales.com I Paul@sportingwales.com
accounts Manager:
John Pope
wrop a’r

©Sportingwales 2008
O Gymru i E
d.
All rights reserved.
Thanks to: daith i Gwpan y By

Chris and Catherine Mead at Caldicot Sub
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted or recorded in any form or by any means without prior F
rom Wales to Europe

written permission from the publisher.
Aqua Club and staff and management at
Cardiff International Swimming Pool for their
and the journey to
Editors Message
While the publishers believe that all information contained in this publication was correct at the time of printing, they can
help with this issue. the World Cup.
accept no liability for any inaccuracies that may appear.
SW
contact: info@sportingwales.com
4
Tel: 01633 410450

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