Welsh Athletics chief John Dagata has targeted "two to four medals" for Wales' track and field stars at this year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Wales won three athletics medals at the 2006 Commonwealths in Melbourne and four at the 2002 Games in Manchester.

Britain's top two 400m hurdlers David Greene and Rhys Williams are Wales' best men's gold hopes while discuss thrower Philippa Roles has a chance.

"The aim is for two to four medals in Delhi," said American Dagata.

Williams, 400m hurdles European bronze medallist at Gothenburg in 2006, won the Welsh championships in Cardiff in a time of 49.89 secs - just outside the 26-year-old's season's best.

Welsh hurdles rival Green, who won world 4x400m relay silver in 2009, is Britain's number one this year with a season's best time of 48.96 secs.

However, the 24-year-old Swansea Harrier did not race over the hurdles in his national championship but won the 400m flat in Cardiff instead.

Both are realistic 400m hurdles medal hopes in Delhi while sprinter Christian Malcolm, who finished fifth behind 200m champion Usain Bolt at the 2008 Olympics final, is hoping for one last medal shot in a Welsh jersey.

The 31-year-old, bidding to star in his fourth Commonwealth Games, won the Welsh 100m final at a canter on Saturday weekend but withdrew from his favoured 200m race just before the final.

Malcolm is hoping to beat his Commonwealth best of second place to Julian Golding in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 - in his first senior major tournament.

Roles is British woman's number one discuss thrower and the 32-year-old's season's best of 58.63 metres ensures qualification for the Delhi showpiece.

Wales won eight athletics medals at the 1986 Commonwealth Games but have not broken the four medal barrier since Edinburgh.

And Dagata, who was appointed Welsh athletics chief last year after leaving his post as Iowa State University coach, hopes to continue that in October in Delhi.

Christian Malcolm hopes to compete at his fourth Commonwealth Games

And he added: "We want four to six medals in Glasgow.

"We will target to win as many medal as we can at the Commonwealths.

"We've worked out a potential final medal haul and we gone through every situation or outcome but anyone who makes the team will be ready to do something special.

"And if we don't achieve our medal target that would be disappointed - although a lot of things have to be on our side.

Roles, Greene and Williams have already passed the Welsh team's Commonwealth Games qualification mark with four months to spare.

And new Welsh men's discuss champion Brett Morse has already qualified as the 21-year-old is already Britain's number one.

The Birchfield Harrier's personal best throw of 62.99 metres - achieved last month in Cardiff - will give him medal hope on his Commonwealth Games debut.

Malcolm's 200m personal best of 20.08 secs was at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton but the experienced Newport sprinter wants to prove he can still perform at the top level despite having his UK Athletics funding cut.

Welsh high jumper Julie Crane, who won silver at the 2006 Commonwealths, won the Welsh championship with a jump of 1.75 metres - but the that is almost 20 centimetres less than British number one Jessica Ennis' season's best.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version