Wales is a strong boxing country with bright history but their current young team has strong potential to impress in the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Rosie Eccles, Ioan Croft, Garan Croft and Taylor Bevan all are well-known boxers and strong medal hopefuls in the Games.
The Commonwealth Games is one of the top multisport events next to the Olympic Games and European Games and after four years of break, the competition returns to the agenda. Altogether 55 out of the 72 participating NOCs will be competing in the boxing event of the upcoming Commonwealth Games from all of the five Confederations. The first competition day of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England will be July 29 and the finals to be hosted on August 7.
Wales hosted the 1958 edition of the Commonwealth Games in Cardiff where Howard Winstone was their gold medallist. Wales achieved altogether 6 gold, 14 silver and 21 bronze medals in the history of the boxing events of the Commonwealth Games.
The Welsh team achieved two gold, one silver and one bronze medals in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Their Sammy Lee and the Tokyo Olympic Champion Lauren Price were the gold medallists in Australia four years ago.
The biggest name in the women’s team is the 26-year-old Rosie Eccles who bagged a silver medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and she is aiming for a gold this time. Joining to Eccles, the tall Helen Jones and the 19-year-old Zoe Andrews will strengthen the Welsh women’s team in the new Commonwealth Games.
Ioan Croft and Garan Croft are twin brothers and since 2018, they reached almost the same results in the international events. Following their gold medals in the youth international tournaments, both claimed silver medals at the 2022 EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships in Porec, Croatia. Ioan earned bronze while Garan silver at the recent EUBC European Men’s Elite Boxing Championships in Yerevan, Armenia.
The list of the participating Welsh boxers at the Commonwealth Games
Women’s 50kg: Helen Jones
Women’s 57kg: Zoe Andrews
Women’s 70kg: Rosie Eccles
Men’s 51kg: Jake Dodd
Men’s 54kg: Owain Harris-Allan
Men’s 67kg: Ioan Croft
Men’s 71kg: Garan Croft
Men’s 75kg: Haaris Khan
Men’s 80kg: Taylor Bevan
