Welsh athletes represent GB at Tokyo 2020

Meet the stars flying the flag for Cymru!

Author: Seb CheerPublished 23rd Jul 2021

As the 2020 Olympic Opening Ceremony gets underway in Tokyo, a year later than planned, we meet the Welsh athletes taking part in the Games.

26 of our athletes are taking part in the games, who between them have 22 Gold medals so far.

Find out more about all the athletes from Sport Wales, or read below!

The first Welsh athlete to fly the GB flag since 1972

Sailor Hannah Mills MBE, from Cardiff, has been named as one of Team GB's flag bearers, alongside rower Moe Sbihi.

She is the first British female sailor to do so, and the first Welsh athlete since 1972.

Hannah, who started her career at Llanishen Sailing Centre (now Cardiff Sailing Centre), said: "Carrying the flag for Team GB at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games is not a sentence I ever thought I’d say.

"It is the greatest honour in my career and I hope more than ever before, this Games can lift our country and deliver some incredible sporting moments to inspire the nation."

Hannah isn't the only Welsh sailor in Team GB. She'll be joined by Chris Grube, who started sailing at Bala sailing club!

Welsh swimmers at Tokyo 2020

6 Welsh swimmers are taking part in the Games. That's more than ever before.

  • Daniel Jervis, born in Resolven and from Neath, will swim freestyle
  • Calum Jarvis, born in Ystrad Rhondda, will also swim freestyle
  • Alys Thomas, from Swansea, will swim butterfly
  • Cardiff's Harriet Jones is swimming butterfly
  • Kieran Bird will swim Butterfly
  • Matt Richards will swim Freestyle

There are four Welsh cricketers in Team GB, with Jacob Draper, Leah Wilkinson, Sarah Jones and Rupert Shipperly taking part.

Wales football captain Sophie Ingle becomes the first ever Welsh woman to be part of Team GB at the Olympics.

World champion middleweight boxer Lauren Price, from Ystrad Mynach, is one of the favourites at Tokyo 2020, after being crowned World Number 1 in her division.

In Judo, Natalie Powell, from Merthyr Tydfil, became the first Welsh judoka to compete in the Olympics in 2016. She's back five years later.

Jade Jones, from Bodelwyddan, and Blackwood's Lauren Williams, are part of GB's Taekwondo representation.

Jasmine Joyce, from St Davids, is the only Welsh representative in GB's rugby sevens team.

Cardiff's Jake Heyward becomes the first Welshman to run the 1500m at the Olympics in nearly 90 years.

Wales' representation among Team GB's cyclists is especially strong, with 3 gold medals and a yellow jersey between Ethan Vernon, Geraint Thomas and Elinor Barker.

Among Team GB's rowers are four Welsh athletes, including some introduced to rowing at Cardiff University. Josh Bugajski, Oliver Wynne-Griffith and Tom Barras join 2016 silver-medallist Victoria Thornley.

Read more about all of Team GB's Welsh athletes on the Sport Wales website.

IN PICTURES: Team GB's Medal Hopefuls

Max Whitlock - Gymnastics

Max Whitlock is a five-time Olympic medallist already. He won three bronze medals at London 2012 and two golds in Rio 2016. He'll be hoping for gold on the pommel horse in Tokyo

Giles Scott - Sailing

Giles Scott will be hoping to replicate his Rio 2016 form where he won gold for Team GB in the Finn Class sailing event. He totally dominated the event in 2016, ensuring victory with a day to spare!

Jade Jones - Taekwondo

Jades Jones is looking for her third gold medal in a row in Tokyo. She already has golds in Taekwondo from London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny - Cycling

This couple has 11 Olympic medals between them already! Laura Kenny has won four in the Omnium and the Team Pursuit. Jason Kenny has won 6 golds and a silver across the last three Olympics.

Adam Peaty - Swimming

Adam Peaty holds the world record for 50 and 100 metre breaststroke, he also won gold in the 100 metre breaststroke at the 2016 Olympics and is a real favourite to take the gold again in Tokyo

Dina Asher-Smith - Athletics

Dina Asher-Smith is the fastest British woman ever recorded! She won the 200m world championship in 2019 and won a bronze medal with Team GB for the 4x100m relay in Rio.

Sky Brown - Skateboarding

Sky Brown will be competing for Team GB in one of the new sports - Skateboarding. At just 13 she will be the youngest ever British olympian, but as she won a bronze medal at the World Skateboarding championship back in 2019, she's a favourite for a medal.

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