Wales resume their World Cup qualifying campaign on Sunday when they face Belarus in the Russian city of Kazan. It’s another long haul trip for Rob Page’s squad who have had to get used to doing it the hard way in recent months. But few of their players can match the miles on the clock being run up by Dylan Levitt, as Graham Thomas reports. Dylan Levitt is hopeful the substantial air miles he is clocking up can qualify him for a place at the World Cup finals with Wales next summer. The Manchester United midfielder is pressing for a starting spot for his country in their vital qualifier against Belarus on Sunday, a match that is live on S4C.

Wales’ javelin thrower Hollie Arnold insisted she had no regrets about her appearance on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! after being disappointed with Paralympic bronze as she relinquished her crown in Tokyo. Defending champion Arnold set a Games record of 43.01m in storming to gold in Rio but was unable to replicate that performance on a soggy night in the Japanese capital. The four-time 27-year-old world champion’s effort of 39.73m was only good enough for the final place on the podium on a day which yielded six GB athletics medals at the Olympic Stadium including golds for Owen Miller and Jonathan Broom-Edwards.

By Tom Prosser Ethan George is the latest Welsh boxer to turn professional and he has inked a deal with MTK Global who also manage the likes of Tyson Fury and Josh Taylor. Hailing from Llanelli, George caused an impact on the local amateur scene, with a lot of his fights ending in victory with one punch knockouts. The former National Finalist now enters the paid ranks under the tutelage of world-renowned trainer Tony Borg, who also trains the likes of former world champion Lee Selby.

By Paul Jones The Football Association of Wales have made it clear that there was no dig at UEFA after their players did not wear the “Respect” sleeve patches during Wednesday night’s friendly in Finland. Wales and UEFA have been at loggerheads since European football’s governing body decided to stage Sunday’s 2022 World Cup qualifier with Belarus in the Russian city of Kazan. Interim boss Robert Page has described going to Russia as a “logistical nightmare”.

By Tom Prosser Swansea’s Paul Karabardak says his “dreams have come true” after winning his second Paralympic medal in the space of a week, as he claimed silver in the table tennis team event. Karabardak has had to wait a long time for his first Paralympic medal after previously competing at the games in 2008, 2012 and 2016 but he has achieved his dream at the fourth time of asking. The 35-year-old has played superbly in this tournament and goes home with a team silver to add to his men’s class 6 singles bronze.

By Tom Prosser It has been a difficult week for Newport County who are now without seven players due to Covid protocols ahead of their clash with Leyton Orient at Rodney Parade on Saturday.  On top of that, County boss Michael Flynn has had to deal with availability issues surrounding the use of their usual training pitch at Spytty Park. Four of the Exiles’ squad have tested positive for Covid and a further three will miss the League Two fixture at Rodney Parade after being named as close contacts.

Swansea’s David Smith has been crowned the Cristiano Ronaldo of boccia following his history-making gold in Tokyo as he revealed the feat was inspired by the supernatural presence of his late grandfather. The eccentric 32-year-old became the Paralympic-specific game’s most successful British player after retaining his individual BC1 title with a tense win over Malaysia’s Chew Wei Lun on Wednesday. World champion Smith – who grew up in Southampton, but moved to Swansea 10 years ago – said he felt the spirit of Second World War RAF serviceman Charlie,  who died around 16 years ago, as he battled back from an early deficit to cry tears of joy inside the Ariake Gymnastics Centre.

Daniel James is set to be unleashed against Belarus on Sunday after the Wales winger was considered too stressed for the friendly against Finland. Interim manager Robert Page left James out of the squad completely in Helsinki on Wednesday following his deadline-day transfer from Manchester United to Leeds. The winger rejoined the rest of the Wales party for the 0-0 draw in the Finnish capital after leaving camp on Tuesday to seal his move to Elland Road.

Charlotte Arter has admitted she is as surprised as anyone to be the new Welsh record holder for the women’s 5K. The woman who has twice broken the world parkrun record set a new mark for a Welsh 5K when mass participation racing returned to the streets of Cardiff at the weekend. Arter won the elite ladies race and claimed the Welsh title in a new national record at the annual Cardiff 5K, while Newport’s Abed Teweldebrhan claimed the men’s Welsh title.

Aled Davies is arguably one of the most successful Paralympians of all time, his success has been an inspiration to many people all over the world. He is now aiming to make it a hat-trick in Tokyo after winning gold at both London 2012 and Rio 2016, as Tom Prosser reports. Welsh Para sport legend Aled Davies has already won gold at two Paralympic Games so you would be forgiven for thinking he has experienced it all. But this time around his preparation has been rather different due to the disruption of the pandemic.

By Tom Prosser The most important piece of business Cardiff City could do on deadline day was to keep hold of Kieffer Moore- despite some late interest from Wolves the star striker remains a Bluebird but the same can not be said of Josh Murphy who has joined Preston on loan.   Murphy has failed to produce consistent performances since joining Cardiff in 2018 and with him being on “Premier League” wages, it is no surprise to see him leave the club. But, with no replacement Mick McCarthy’s side are now lacking depth in this area.

Brennan Johnson is hoping for success with Wales in vital World Cup qualifiers over the next few days – and another well done message from David Beckham. The 20-year-old Nottingham Forest midfielder has already received a clutch of congratulatory texts from England legend Beckham for his achievements at club level. Now, Johnson is hoping a first start for Wales in the friendly against Finland on Wednesday night – a match that is live on S4C – could prompt more virtual pats on the back over the next few days.

Rhys Williams had pledged to try and make a similar impact to Rhian Brewster as he starts his loan spell at Swansea City following a switch from Liverpool. Williams was one of two signings made by the Swans on another chaotic transfer deadline day for the club as four players departed. The central defender arrived on loan from Anfield – following the path taken by striker Brewster two seasons ago – while striker Michael Obafemi, a 21-year-old on the fringes of the Saints’ first team, was bought for £2m.

Olivia Breen has revealed she had to grit her teeth and fight through the pain in order to clinch her Paralympic bronze medal. Wales’ Commonwealth Games champion of 2018 earned her medal in a high quality T38 long jump in Tokyo in which she broke the Paralympic record with her opening leap before Luka Ekler of Hungary smashed the world record. Breen eventually finished third behind Ekler and Russia’s Margarita Goncharova, but revealed a torn muscle in her shoulder had hampered her preparation.

By Tom Prosser Newport County have completed the signing of midfielder Ollie Cooper on a season-long loan deal from Swansea City. The winger becomes County’s 14th addition of the summer transfer window and has penned a contract until the end of the 2021/22 campaign, with Swansea having the option to recall him in January. He is the son of Kevin Cooper who played for the likes of Cardiff and Wolves before a spell at Newport County during the 2008-09 season.

By Paul Evans On the first asphalt rally to be held on the Epynt military range for two years, Melvyn Evans charged to victory on the opening round of the 2021 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship, The Old Forge Garage Mewla Rally. Against strong opposition, he and co-driver Mark Glennerster had to push their Škoda Fabia R5 to the limit to secure what in the end looked a comfortable 26 second victory. Having won the event in 2003, it was Evans’ second Mewla Rally win of his career.

Dan James is set to complete a deadline day move to Leeds from Manchester United after the two clubs agreed a £25m fee. The Wales striker will have a medical today before flying out to Finland with the rest of the Wales squad for the international friendly. Wales then have two World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and Estonia, in which James is likely to feature before he joins his new squad at Elland Road.

Rob Page’s prediction that Wales’ trip to the Russian city of Kazan to play Belarus in their World Cup qualifier would be “a nightmare” appears to becoming a reality. As well as the withdrawl of four players through injury – including Aaron Ramsey – the Wales caretaker manager has also been denied three players because of visa problems. The FAW have said in a statement that Ethan Ampadu, Tyler Roberts and Brandon Cooper will all miss Sunday’s game in Russia die to problems getting their visa approved in time.

By Tom Prosser  Harri Jenkins’ decision to switch from basketball to wheelchair racing has paid dividends after the Neath athlete claimed a bronze medal at his debut Paralympic games. “I didn’t switch for this, the decision to switch was just for me,” explained Jenkins who was born with cerebral palsy. “I needed something else to motivate me as I’d lost motivation in basketball. “And here I am a bronze medallist.

Gold medal-winning Welshman Jim Roberts insists he holds no grudges against those who cut funding for wheelchair rugby. Roberts, from Welshpool, top scored with 24 tries to seal a memorable 54-49 victory over the USA at the Paralympic final in Tokyo on Sunday It was the first gold medal won by team GB in a Paralympic team sport since the Olympics and Paralympics became aligned under one organising committee 20 years ago.