Day 2 Highlights

Podium success for Team Wales  

Day 2 of the Commonwealth Youth Games and it was the Women’s Rugby Sevens and Swimmers dominating the sports schedule for Team Wales across Tobago and Trinidad respectively. 

The swimmers had a busy first day in the pool, finishing the evening with three podium positions, winning Wales’s first medals of the Games.  

Theodora Taylor opened the medal tally for Wales with an outstanding race in the 200m Breaststroke, securing a well-deserved bronze medal with a time of 2.32.91. Max Anderson quickly followed with a strong second place in the 200m men’s Breaststroke in 2.16.03, and Tyler Melbourne-Smith closed the evening with an impressive performance, which secured his place on top of the podium, winning Team Wales’ first Gold medal of the Games in the 1500m Freestyle, with a time of 15.30.80. 

Theodora Taylor also made the final in the 50m butterfly, finishing 5th, with other finalists, Solomon Williams finishing 6th in the Men’s 200m Freestyle and Sophie Brassington finishing 5th in the 200m Breaststroke behind Theodora’s win in the event. Holly Marshall and Joshua O’Brien both finished 4th in their HEATS (Women’s 100m Backstroke and Men’s 200m Freestyle). Unfortunately, Sophie Davies was disqualified in the Women’s 200m Freestyle. 

The Rugby Sevens team returned to the Youth Games following a successful competition at the last Commonwealth Games in Bahamas 2017, winning Wales’ first team medal. 

Their first match was against a strong Canadian team who won 7-21. Wales faced challenging conditions with the soaring temperatures in their second match against Kenya, whilst a slow start for Wales they played an impressive second half, closing the gap 12-20 at full time.  

Day 3 will see more action in the pool at the National Aquatics Centre, Women’s rugby Sevens face Australia and Fiji over in Tobago, the Men’s Road Race kicks off in San Fernando, Trinidad and the Athletics competition begins at the Hasley Crawford Stadium.