Like most 21-year-olds Joel Walsh is a keen social media follower. Now thanks to Instagram, the Cardiff born kickboxer is set for a new career in taekwondo.

Welsh rower Vicky Thornley was able to take part in a very special event at the Henley Royal Regatta last weekend as she joined some of the biggest names in the sport in Britain in a row past to commemorate 200 years of the Leander Rowing Club. On a weekend when one of the world’s greatest sporting institutions wished itself a Happy Birthday on home water, it was a real moment of pride for the Olympic silver medallist, who this year was named as only the second woman to captain the club. Founded in 1818, the Leander Club boasts an unsurpassed record in rowing achievements and Wales’ champion sculler is currently the skipper of a club that counts Olympic golden greats such as Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent, triple gold medallist Peter Reed and double gold medallists James Cracknell, Steve Williams and Alex Gregory among its membership.

Team Wales Commonwealth Games weightlifter Tayla Howe picked up a British Senior title at the weekend as she won the 75kg class with more than 20kgs to spare. The 21-year-old personal trainer from Swansea dominated the event as she snatched 93kg and then posted a 105kg lift in the clean and jerk for a total of 198kg. Howe finished sixth in the 90kg class at the Gold Coast, finishing with a total of 207kg (92 / 115).

Wales have decided on their new coach – the chameleon-like Wayne Pivac will take charge after the next World Cup. Graham Thomas looks at the man who adapts so well, he only gives his origins away through his accent. Wayne Pivac is the outsider who blends in so well it’s hard to recall a time when he wasn’t a local. Pivac will become the fourth New Zealander to coach Wales when he takes over from Warren Gatland in 15 months’ time.

Perennial Welsh Premier League champions The New Saints launch their latest attempt at making it through to the main stages of European competition in Macedonia tonight (7.15). The New Saints face Macedonian champions KF Shkendija in the first qualifying round of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League and despite there being little known about their opponents, […]

Rhys Bradshaw’s busy summer will continue later this month when he leads the Wales Under 18 hockey team into the EuroHockey Youth Championships II at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (22-28 July). The Cardiff & Met teenager picked up his first senior caps last month on the trips to Poland and Croatia for the Open Series event. In Zagreb he scored his first senior goals as he helped Wales gain promotion.

Jake Heyward vowed to go all out after qualifying for the World Junior Championships 1500m final with an impressive run in Finland. The Cardiff AAC runner finished third in his heat in Tampere on Tuesday to reach the final on Thursday

Pontardawe’s Ioan Rowe claimed first prize in the U14s age group at the Ping Welsh Junior Tour Event at Carmarthen, taking him top of the Order of Merit. Ioan’s score of 37 stableford points was just enough to edge Milford Haven’s Joel Mills into second place, with Dwynwen Holgate from Cardigan in third. Dwynwen is just a couple of points behind in second on the Order of Merit.

Aron Gunnarsson committed his playing future to Cardiff City soon after the end of last season. Iceland’s captain has now signed his new contract, which runs until next summer, and manager Neil Warnock is delighted, saying: “I knew six weeks ago Aron would be staying, but we had to make sure he came through the […]

Wayne Pivac will move to bring in Stephen Jones as his right-hand man for his four-year stint as Wales coach. The Scarlets chief was confirmed on Monday afternoon as the man to take over from Warren Gatland after next year’s World Cup. It’s a lengthy lead-in time for the 55-year-old New Zealander, but it will provide plenty of time for him to help negotiate a deal that will enable Jones to join him when he steps into Gatland’s shoes.

Chaz Davies has vowed to come back firing on all cylinders when World Superbikes returns after its long summer break. The Knighton-born rider went into the break just missing out on a podium after finishing fourth in the second race at Misano in Italy.

More than 8,000 riders and crowds of roaring supporters brought a taste of the Tour De France to South Wales as the revamped VELOTHON Wales proved a hit once again. The biggest closed-road event of its kind in Wales was blessed with fantastic weather and huge enthusiasm as the revamped 2018 edition returned for a fourth year. The sportive has now welcomed more than 35,000 cycling enthusiasts since its inception in 2015.

Dafydd ‘Post’ Evans and co-driver Carl ‘Slate’ Jones won the Rali Dyffryn Twymyn at the weekend, as Ford Escorts dominated the Dovey Valley Motor Club organised event. They finished ahead of Mark Lennox/Jorden Lennox, with Richard Williams/Lewis Morgan coming home third. Osian Pryce/Dale Furniss led the Machynlleth-based event after the first test, but retired their Ford Fiesta ST soon afterward.

The promoters of the Aberdare Park Road Races, Aberaman Motorcycle Club, have paid tribute to motorcycle racer William Dunlop, who was killed in an incident at the Skerries 100 road races in County Dublin on Saturday. The 32-year old Northern Ireland rider, who’d won the North West 200 and Ulster GP, was taking part in practice for the event when the crash happened. It’s the latest tragedy for the Dunlop family, as William’s father Robert died as a result of an accident at the North West 200 in 2008 and his uncle Joey, who has won the Isle of Man TT a record 26 times, was killed in a crash in Estonia in 2000.

Charlie Payne, co-driven by Ammanford’s Carl Williamson, won the Bob Shaw Memorial Stages at Brawdy Airfield in Pembrokeshire by almost a minute after a great performance in their Ford Fiesta. It was a great day all ‘round for the Payne family, as Charlie’s son Elliot (co-driven by Simon Rogers) won the Junior category in his Citroen C1. Peter Smith/Matt Edwards finished 56 seconds behind in another Ford Fiesta, while Llandysul’s Jamie Jukes/Ellie Williams finished third in a Spencer Sport Mitsubishi Mirage R5.

A late interception returned for a touchdown secured the South Wales Warriors a key victory against their only rivals for the divisional title. The Torbay Trojans welcomed the Warriors to their Paignton home with both sides undefeated at 5-0 in the British American Football Association (BAFA) league’s division two west this season. At the end of the first quarter there was nothing to separate either side who battled away in the Devon heat without managing a score.

Two Welsh players have made it through to the Junior Wimbledon Doubles Championship which starts on Tuesday. The pair will become the first Welsh players to compete at Wimbledon since Evan Hoyt appeared in the Junior Championships in 2013. James Story, 17, and Morgan Cross, 16, will both be competing at the tournament with the best juniors from across the world.

Ben Thomas slashed almost four-and-a-half seconds off his personal best to finish ninth in an outstanding 2000m steeplechase final at the European Under 18 Athletics Championship in Hungary. The top 11 finishers in the final all set personal bests with two national records and a championship record being set in the process. Thomas’ time of 5:53.47 shattered his previous best mark of 5:57.81 set when he won the British Milers Club PB classic in Milton Keynes last month.

Cardiff Devils have revealed four new signings during their Calgary summit. Winger Mike Hedden is the first new player added to the Devils ranks, while Welshman Matthew Myers, Justin Faryna and Layne Ulmer are returning to the club. Canadians Faryna and Ulmer joined head coach Andrew Lord, managing director Todd Kelman and the club owners […]

Rachel Taylor has made history by becoming the first female coach of a Welsh rugby club playing in the national league. The former Wales captain has crossed the gender divide to take charge of a men’s team at Colwyn Bay RFC – the club’s first female appointment in their 95-year history. Taylor, who won 67 caps and also captained the Barbarians women’s team against the Army last autumn, is a full-time rugby coordinator for the Welsh Rugby Union.