Hazel Wilson the College’s ALN Transformation Project Manager based at Newtown, makes it 4 times in a row as Team Manager for Welsh Women’s Bowls after being selected for this year’s Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham in July.
The team accompanying Hazel include 14 Athletes competing in men’s and women’s singles, pairs, triples and fours, para men’s and visually impaired mixed pairs. Many of the athletes have experience having competed in previous commonwealth games with Anwen Butten Lampeter competing in her 6th games an all-time record for a Welsh female athlete, Caroline Taylor Berriew her 3rd games and Laura Daniels Neath her 2nd Games and Sara Nicholls Llandeilo, Ysie White Tenby being first timers to the Commonwealth games.
The organisation for the Birmingham Games starts as soon as the Games in Gold Coast 2018 finishes and Managers this time had to work through the challenges of the pandemic to put enough evidence forward to support players for selection.
Hazel Said ‘I am delighted to be selected for my 4th Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 2022, as Welsh Women’s Bowls Team Manager. The Opening Ceremony for the Games is 28th July with lawn bowls starting at Leamington Spa on the 29th. Wales lawn bowls will be taking a team of experienced talented athletes and I’m very much looking forward to working with them, together with the Men’s Team and Para Team Managers.
Being Team Manager means being extremely organised in terms of all aspects of athlete preparation and ensuring that they are the best they can be for the Games. Being part of the Welsh Team is a huge honour for all players and management and when you put on that Welsh shirt there is no other feeling like it. The atmosphere at the games is both nerve racking and exciting but the experience is second to none and one that everyone will never forget. We have recently been to the ICC in Newport to pick up our Team Wales kit for the games which is amazing and builds on Team Wales Campaign which focusses on building a strong and united environment, striving to achieve, and reaching the athletes’ own summit of aspirations.
In total 106 athletes have been announced across 11 sports, following nomination by the national governing bodies or via sport qualification, and selection ratification by the Commonwealth Games Wales selection panel.
Helen Phillips, Chair of the Commonwealth Games Wales Board said: “We are not only proud of the exceptional talent we have selected, but proud of our athlete’s behaviour and professionalism frequently noted amongst our fellow Commonwealth Sport friends. Gold Coast 2018 was certainly a Games to remember, and we are confident Team Wales will positively make their mark in Birmingham.”
