Anna Hursey

New Welsh world champion Anna Hursey says it “feels very special” after the teenager completed a landmark World Youth Championships with three medals in Romania.

Anna Hursey had already had a 12 months to remember after becoming an Olympic athlete and European U21 champion. Now, though, she's at the top of another podium.

She was once the child prodigy who went to the Commonwealth Games as an 11-year-old, but now Anna Hursey is ripping through the senior ranks.

Welsh athletes have returned home, having made a remarkable impression at the Paris 2024 Olympics, achieving their best performance to date. A record 33 Welsh competitors, including 19 Olympic debutants, represented Team GB, bringing home a total of 13 medals—three gold, three silver, and seven bronze.

Anna Hursey believes she can take valuable experience from her Olympic Games debut, despite losing her first round match in Paris. The 18-year-old Team Wales Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, ranked world number 103, put up a brave fight before losing in five games against world No 28 Manika Batra of India.

Anna Hursey intends to add to the teenage triumphs of 2024 when she makes her Olympic Games debut in Paris on Sunday. The 18-year-old will become the first Welsh athlete to compete in table tennis at an Olympics, although making history is nothing new to the veteran of two Commonwealth Games.

Faster. Higher. Stronger. The Olympic motto used to be unchanging and did its job well enough from its introduction back in 1894. That was until 2021 when the organisers/modernisers/do-gooders/diversity officers/woke police (insert depending on political outlook) decided on an upgrade.

Anna Hursey believes her long stint in the limelight, that began as a table tennis child prodigy, will prove invaluable when she goes to her first Olympic Games this summer. At just a month past her 18th birthday, the Welsh teenager will be one of the youngest members of the Great Britain squad heading to Paris later this month.

Anna Hursey is dreaming of Olympic glory this summer as she prepares to become the youngest Welsh athlete for 30 years to go to the Games. Dreaming comes easy to the 17-year-old table tennis star from Cardiff, who slept for 15 hours straight after securing her place in the Great Britain squad.

Anna Hursey believes she produced some of the best form of her career to qualify for the table tennis women’s singles at this year’s Olympic Games. The teenager became the first Great Britain player to book a place for Paris and will also become the first Welsh player to play at an Olympics after coming through the European singles qualification tournament in Sarajevo at the weekend.

Anna Hursey admitted she had to overcome fatigue as she became the first Welsh table tennis player to qualify for the Olympic Games. The 17-year-old – who became the youngest athlete to compete at a Commonwealth Games as an 11-year-old six years ago – is through to compete in Paris after a hugely impressive qualification tournament. Hursey beat a string of players above her in the world rankings to take one of five players on offer.

Anna Hursey will bid to become the first Welsh table tennis player to qualify for the Olympic Games when she competes in a five-day tournament Bosnia, starting on Wednesday (May 15). The teenager will play in the European Olympic qualification event in Sarajevo, aiming to finish in the top five to earn her place in Paris this summer. Hursey, 17, is the British number one female player and broke into the world’s top 100 earlier this year. She is currently ranked 98.