In how many sports can Wales boast both male and female British Champions? That is the achievement in one of the oldest sports of all, which is also one of the newest to Wales.


Wrestling is one of the oldest Greek and Roman sports and has probably been 'played' unoffi cially since Homo Sapiens fi rst stood on two feet, but Welsh Wrestling has only been going for a couple of years. However they are gearing up for making history in the Commonwealth Games with a few of the team targeting the 2012 Olympics as well. It is a sport which has come a long way in a very short time.


The British champions are Brett Hawthorn, from Wrexham and good enough to be heading to college in Kentucky on a wrestling scholarship, and Bridgend's Sarah Connolly, who is particularly pleased women's wrestling has been included in the Commonwealth Games for the fi rst time.


A lot of that is down to husband and wife team Alan and Sue Jones, the Welshpool couple who have founded Welsh Wrestling thanks to their background in judo and who do a lot of the coaching as well.


Sue Jones made the switch as a competitor with a place in the Olympics in mind, until a car crash and shoulder reconstruction ruled out that dream and meant the move into coaching.


With judo not included in this year's Commonwealth Games and Indian favourite wrestling a must for Delhi, it made sense for the Jones's to switch for wrestling and for the competitors to try to keep up with them.


“We are going to make history in Delhi because it is the fi rst time Wales has been represented in Wrestling at the Commonwealth Games,” explained Sue Jones.


issue12twothousand&ten sportingwales


“Wrestling was on of the fi rst sports in the Olympics, along with chariot racing, but it is one of the sports that host countries can choose in the Commonwealths – also this is the fi rst time women's wrestling has been included ever.


“Alan and I set up Welsh wrestling a couple of years ago, we were both involved in judo as well. I go into schools through the 5x60 scheme and we promote wrestling through that too. Next year we are looking into setting up some more clubs, getting more coaches and taking it from there.”


Wrestling is one of those sports where it is almost impossible to predict the outcome as there is a free draw without seeding. The concession to the possible unfairness of that is whoever draws the eventual fi nalists will go into a repechage with the chance of getting third place.


Wales have high hopes in Delhi. Hawthorn and Connolly are British champions, Craig Pilling was British champion in 2006, while history girl Non Evans will be competing in the Commonwealth Games in her third event (judo and weightlifting being the others) and trying to do it a month after being one of Wales' key players in the Rugby Women's World Cup. Quite a combination!


“With the right draw we could do really well. Brett and Craig can defi nitely be looking at a place on the rostrum. Sarah got a silver at the GB World Cup – her fi rst fi ght was against the world champion and double Olympic silver medallist and she did really well against her to show what she can achieve,” said Sue Jones.


“Non is doing really well too, with the training from rugby and judo all mixed in – you can rugby tackle in wrestling, but you have to keep the control.”


Hawthorn is delighted the opportunities at Commonwealth and Olympic level have opened up in the sport he has always done,


while looking forward to the remarkable opportunity in America to follow.


“My Dad has been wrestling since a young age and so the whole family do it. We tried it at home when we were younger, but not any more,” said the 19-year-old, originally from Bradford..


“I went to my fi rst competition and won so I felt on top of the world, then went to the British championship and lost badly.


“I realised I had to work hard at it and went on to be British junior champion six times.


“Wrestling is India's national sport so we are lucky from that point of view that it has been included. It is the biggest competition of our lives and the experience level will be massive with an Olympic bronze medallist in my category.


“2012 is the biggest goal for me and it is realistic because I am going away to America and will get much better. It is their third biggest collegiate sport, so it is big over there.


“I went out for a competition there in 2009. I came second and a scout came up to me afterwards to get my details, but I did not think anything of it.


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