SWIMMING

It was another epic weekend for Wales’ king of the pool, Matt Richards.

The Team Wales Commonwealth Games star became European champion in his final big race before Olympic year.

Richards has now vowed to build more momentum as he heads towards next year’s Olympic Games after winning another gold medal at the European Short Course Swimming Championships in Romania.

The 20-year-old world champion powered home to win the 200m freestyle title, ahead of his Great Britain teammate James Guy.

It capped a sensational few months for Richards who seized gold in the same event at the World Championships in July and won relay gold on the opening day of the short course championships.

Next year, he will be among the favourites for gold at the Paris Olympics in both his individual and relay events.

Richards said: “I’m over the moon with that. It’s a great result to try to build that momentum on from Worlds into short course.

“I’m definitely better long course so this is all a challenge and a learning experience to refine some of my skills, but I’m over the moon to come out on top.

“I am so, so pleased to see Jim on the podium as well.

“In sport, one minute you can be on top of the world and the next you can be nowhere so it’s one of those where I’m trying to enjoy the journey and every day as it comes.

“I’ve a fantastic team around me which makes it so much more fun and enjoyable and hopefully we can keep building on this momentum now going into Paris and there’s so much more that I want to do and want to achieve.”

Richards’ fellow Welsh star Medi Harris has also had a championship to cherish after winning two medals.

Already a winner of the 200m backstroke, Harris took silver in the 100m backstroke.

Great Britain secured top spot in the medal table standings. They collected more gold medals (9) than any other nation and tied for the most total medals (23) with France.

 

 

BOXING

Lauren Price outclassed Silvia Bortot to remain on course for a world title shot in 2024.

Wales’ Tokyo Olympic gold medallist took command from the opening round to win comfortably on points in Bournemouth on Sunday night.

The southpaw reeled off quick jabs, catching the Italian as she beat Bortot to the punch.

“I am happy with my performance,” Price said. “She was a tough girl but I feel I upped my game tonight, stood there and traded and got some body shots off.

“I think I am improving all the time. I thought I controlled the fight.”

Price is targeting the victor in the January 20 Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer IBF welterweight world title fight.

“I have had my little run out, as you call it. I believe I can beat Natasha Jonas or Mikaela Mayer, whoever is the winner,” Price declared.

“Even though I’m respectful and I’m laidback I do want these big fights. That’s why I turned professional.

“I believe the girls who have got the world titles at welterweight at the minute – I can beat them.

“I want to be the best and that’s something I’ve carried throughout my whole career, no matter what sport I’ve done.

“Whether it was playing football internationally, being a kickboxer or my dream of going to the Olympics at eight years of age and achieving that Olympic gold medal.

“As a professional now, I want to win world titles at multiple weights as well and create greatness and be a legend.”

Promoter Ben Shalom says the Olympic champion can be Welsh boxing’s next major star.

“We feel we’ve got a real chance to create a national icon,” he said.

“The aim next year will be to bring her back to Cardiff and start to build something that has not been seen before in Wales possibly since the Joe Calzaghe days.”

Price has won all six of her fights – all of which have taken place outside Wales – since turning professional in 2022.

She continued that record against Italy’s Bortot, who she fought on the undercard of Chris Billam-Smith’s WBO title defence against Poland’s Mateusz Masternak.