MYSPORTINGWALES
Born in Brynaman in 1949. Elected to the Assembly for the
first time in May 2003. Before becoming a television director
and producer at Ffilmiau'r Nant, Caernarfon, he was a teacher
and former head of a Welsh department, and a journalist with
HTV. He's a former Leader of Gwynedd Council, is Chairman
of Antur Nantlle and Chairman of Nantlle Vale FC. As a
former chairman of CYFLE and TAC, he has an interest and
experience in broadcasting and training. Other interests include
community development, theatre, sport and cycling.
Alun Ffred Jones
What is your best sporting How important is sport to If you were offered the
memory? Wales? chance to enjoy any one
There are two unforgettable rugby For a country with few national institutions, sporting achievement, what
matches that I attended in the seventies. I sport was very important. All countries need
was there for the famous end of tour match heroes and sporting heroes fulfi l that need. would it be and why?
between the Barbarians and New Zealand in That is particularly true for working-class
Cardiff in 1973. It was a fairy tale of a game, communities, and boxers stuck a particular I played many sports (badly!), but I've
with the All-Blacks still smarting from losing chord with their exploits. But there is a always enjoyed cricket and had I been good
to the 1971 Lions, but they were beaten danger that sporting success can be over- enough I would have loved the opportunity
in an open, frenetic game by a side packed trumpeted, learning to lose with grace to bowl for Glamorgan against Australia
with talented Welsh players. I was in the and good humour is a valuable skill. on a good pitch at St Helen's in Swansea
north enclosure, so was on the wrong side of on a sunny afternoon. But not, like the
the pitch for Gareth Edwards's legendary try! unfortunate Malcolm Nash, against Gary
Sobers!
The other was the away match in Paris in What is the most memorable
1975. Wales were not expected to win as we
had named several new caps, Graham Price sporting event you have
and Ray Gravell among them, and the Parc Do you have any personal
des Princes was a hellish cauldron of noise. attended?
But Wales more than matched a great French sporting achievements?
team and Price's lung-bursting try saw us Again, this was an event staged in France. I
home. We had quite a night celebrating that was on holiday and watched a stage of the I won the biggest cup in football! Well,
victory! Tour de France in the Alps. We found a spot what is supposedly the largest in size,
on top of one of the climbs fairly early in the Pantyfedwen Cup, which is an Urdd
the morning and the jamboree was already cup competition. I played in goal for the
in full swing. There were people who had victorious Llanuwchllyn Urdd Aelwyd
Who is the Welsh clearly staked a place a day or two before. I Under-25s against Porthmadog Urdd
remember watching the riders approaching Aelwyd Under-25s in Aberystwyth. I seem
sportsperson you most us in the distance as they climbed up to to remember the Cup ended up later
the top of the peak. This being earlier this that night on the head of the the statue
admire? decade, the Italian climber Marco Pantani of OM Edwards in Llanuwchllyn, who
was trying to break Lance Armstrong in was, appropriately, the father of Ifan ab
The sports people whom I most admire the mountains. The whole tour swept Owen Edwards, the founder of the Urdd!
who combine their talent with dignity and passed us in less than 15 minutes but the
humility, and perform over a number of years spectacle of the mountain roads crammed
at the highest level. I can think of a number with enthusiastic spectators has stuck in
of Welsh performers, Ivor Allchurch, Ryan my memory. We descended after the tour
Giggs and Gareth Edwards among them, who passed and watch the fi nish of the stage in
My SportingWales - Alun Ffred Jones
have personifi ed those qualities, but I think a café. The home crowd were pleased that
for his brilliance on the pitch and his off-fi eld Frenchman Richard Viranque won the stage,
success and conduct, I would have to say the but Pantani didn't break Armstrong that day
SW
urbane Gerald Davies. as he went on to win another tour.
39

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