Helen James is one of six inspirational runners to receive a 2019 Spirit of the London Marathon Award. The award celebrates those extraordinary people who have demonstrated the unique spirit of what is considered to be the world’s greatest marathon. A member of the Cardiff-based Les Croupiers Running Club, James has cerebral palsy in all four limbs and a learning disability.

Matthew Stevens is celebrating his post-midnight mugging of three-time champion Mark Selby at the UK Championship in York. Welshman Stevens is into the last 16 after he beat Selby, 6-5, in the early hours of Friday morning. The Carmarthen cueman next faces Stephen Maguire, who beat Wales’ Michael White, 6-4.

Georgia Davies surprised herself when she took a bronze in the 100m backstroke at the European Short Course Swimming Championships in Glasgow. The Welsh double bronze Commonwealth Games medallist of 2018 is not renowned as a short course competitor but managed to finish third in the final and make the podium. Dutch swimmer Kira Toussaint triumphed as she improved on her silver medal from two years ago.

Kenya threw all it could at Osian Pryce today, yet he still set a fastest stage time – despite overtaking a school bus – to hold a class-leading top 10 position on the East African Classic Safari. It was a typically crazy day of rallying in Africa where you can expect the unexpected. But after eight gruelling days of competition, bizarre has become the norm for Pryce and co-driver Dale Furniss, as they continue their storming run in their Minti Motorsport Ford Escort RS1600. “It’s been a character building day,” admitted Pryce. “We got off to a good start setting the third fastest time on the opening section. I was happy with that as I felt that I hadn’t driven well.

Lee Tomlin has shed two stones – and unappreciative Neil Warnock – and can’t decide which has been the biggest factor in his rebirth at Cardiff City. The Bluebirds midfielder insists his gym sessions were not to grind out his frustrations with the club’s former manager who wouldn’t pick him, but he could have been forgiven for dark thoughts as he hammered the punch bag. Either way, Tomlin is loving life under new Cardiff City boss Neil Harris and looking for another full outing against Bradford this weekend as well as a possible new contract.

Non Stanford is going to have to set an early alarm call to make it to the triathlon start line at the Tokyo Olympics after organisers re-scheduled the event. The Welsh former world champion is aiming to make the Great Britain squad for next year’s Games in Japan, but will need to prepare for a dawn start to the event if she makes it. Organisers have announced that two more events, the triathlon and equestrian cross-country, have been rescheduled to earlier start times to combat the expected sweltering summer heat.

Warren Gatland says that like most New Zealanders he is paying close attention to the All Blacks’ search for a new coach and that he will be happy to support Steve Hansen’s successor when that decision is made. The former Wales coach took himself out of the running for the All Blacks role last month due to his commitments to the Waikato Chiefs and British and Irish Lions. The All Blacks beat Wales 40-12 in the third-place playoff at the World Cup in Japan, ending both coaches’ lengthy tenures with their sides.

Osian Pryce crossed over the border from Tanzania back into Kenya today, as the end of the gruelling East African Classic Safari nears. It was another good day for the Machynlleth ace, as he and co-driver Dale Furniss maintained a solid eighth place overall in the class-leading Minti Motorsport Ford Escort RS1600. “It was a tough start to the day, with the first stage being run for the third time,” said Pryce. “The road was very rough in places so we didn’t do anything silly. The second stage of the day was over ninety kilometres long with long straights, although we had a good run we are lacking in top speed, so we lost time on the faster stuff.

Johnny McNicholl made his Wales debut last weekend, but not everyone was happy about another Celtic Kiwi joining the long list of New Zealanders who have worn other colours than black. Robin Davey argues the sceptics are ignoring the rule book as well as a worldwide trend. Critics who blast countries for selecting players who have just qualified for an adopted country on the three-year residential rule should pipe down. Adrian Hadley and Gavin Henson, among others, had a right go at the Wales management, headed up by new head coach Wayne Pivac, for selecting winger Johnny McNicholl against the Barbarians.

Wrexham pace ace Omari Patrick is built for speed – and former Olympic sprint gold medallist Linford Christie will testify to that. Christie is Godfather to Patrick, whose dad is a former Commonwealth Games gold medal winner. Slough-born Patrick, aged 23, scored both goals for Wrexham in their 2-0 Vanarama National League win against Eastleigh […]

Former Newport County defender Ismail Yakubu marked his Merthyr Town debut with a headed goal during their 3-2 home win against Hartley Wintney at the MetCoaches Stadium. Gethyn Hill, from a penalty, and Ian Traylor were the other scorers in a win that was more convincing than the scoreline suggests. The Martyrs netted three goals […]

Kirsty Taylor is an athlete on the rise – whether it’s her timings as a sprinter or the distances she’s achieving in the long jump. Owen Morgan spoke to Wales’ captain of the Great Britain team at the World Para Athletics Junior Championships. Team captain on her first appearance in a Great Britain vest, two world junior championships silver medals and a Diamond League debut  . . . it’s fair to say that 2019 was a good year for Kirsty Taylor. The Welsh teenager hopes the experiences of the past 12 months will stand her in good stead to push on to even bigger and better achievements in the New Year and beyond. However, the past 12 months will take some beating.

Wales players could enjoy a selection advantage over their English rivals for the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa. The Lions have today (Tuesday) announced their itinerary for the eight-match tour, which shows just a week between the scheduled final of the English Premiership on June 26 and the first match of the tour on July 3. Welsh players who play in the Guinness Pro 14 – the vast majority of the national squad – will have a two-break between their final on June 19 and the first game for the Lions against the Stormers in Cape Town.

Michael Flynn didn’t pick himself to play against Brighton U21 at the Amex Stadium, but he should be proud of the team he did put out on the pitch for the second round tie in the Leasing.com Trophy. Four days after travelling to deepest, darkest Essex and pinching a 1-0 FA Cup win courtesy of a 91st minute goal from Padraig Amond, they struck even later on the south coast to go through to the third round 5-4 win on penalties, following a goalless draw. Shooting first, the County players held their nerves to beat former Team GB Olympic and England U21 goalkeeper Jason Steele with all five attempts:

There are just three more days remaining on the long and gruelling East African Classic Safari, and Osian Pryce is still going strong in his Ford Escort RS1600. Co-driven by Dale Furniss, the Machynlleth ace is now up to eighth overall in the Minti Motorsport Mark 1, after a tricky day of competition in Tanzania, which contained several very muddy sections and water hazards. There is still a long way to go, but Pryce’s African rally debut is going well.

Mark Williams labelled it as the worst performance of his career, but for Michael White his victory in the all-Welsh clash at the UK Championship might just be a career-saver. Neath’s White admitted his progression to the Betway UK Championship last 32 has restored his wavering belief in his snooker ability. The 28-year-old former world number 15 had endured a sustained period of disappointing results which had seem him drop outside of the world’s top 60, and arrived at the York Barbican without having gone past the first round of a tournament all season.

Such is Newport County’s injury plight that manager Michael Flynn is threatening to come out of retirement to play in the Leasing.com Trophy tie at Brighton U21 at the Amex Stadium tonight (7.00pm, Tuesday). The Exiles picked up two more injuries in their 1-0 FA Cup win at Maldon & Tiptree as they reached the third round for the fourth time in five years. But they lost central defenders Mark O’Brien and Kyle Howkins in the process. Howkins was forced to spend the weekend in hospital after coming off worst in a sickening clash of heads with home striker Charlee Hughes, while O’Brien is suffering from “bone bruising”. They joined an injury list that contains Mickey Demetriou, Dan Leadbitter, Scot Bennett, Robbie Willmott, Joss Labadie, Taylor Maloney, Keanu Marsh-Brown and Ade Azeez.

Mike Ruddock could extend a month-long stint as a consultant to the Ospreys, but he is unlikely to fill the vacant head coach role at the region. The former Wales Grand Slam-winning coach starts work this morning at the troubled region, where he has agreed to oversee a review of their coaching set-up. But Ruddock is keener to move towards consultancy work than hands-on coaching, even though he has been doing both in Dublin, where he has made Lansdowne the strongest club side in Ireland by leading them to three All-Ireland titles.

The countdown to the next America’s Cup has begun and once again Wales will have a man on board as Ineos Team UK challenge for the biggest prize in sailing, as Graham Thomas reports. Welsh sailor Bleddyn Mon’s return to the America’s Cup can chart a course for youngsters to follow in his slipstream – according to the man at the head of the sport in Wales. Mon has been named as a crew member of Ineos Team UK, who will compete against boats representing the USA and Italy for the right to challenge holders New Zealand in 2021.

Wales’ dates with the All Blacks next summer have been confirmed with Wayne Pivac set to face his countrymen on July 4 and 11. The fixtures have been confirmed by New Zealand, who will host the first Test in Auckland and the second in Wellington. It will be a return home for new Wales coach Wayne Pivac and the tour will also be a first visit to New Zealand by Wales for four years.