SAILING

Wales’ first confirmed Olympian, Micky Beckett, can put his feet up this weekend, having booked his place at the Paris Olympic Games next year.

Beckett will make a long-awaited Olympic debut at Paris 2024, one of a group of 10 sailors who are the first athletes to be selected by Team GB for the Games.

He joined the British Sailing team since 2013 and it took him a decade to make the Olympic team, missing out on selection to Tokyo by the barest of margins.

“I learnt to sail when I was five and spent my whole life trying to get to the Olympics,” he said.

“I’ve had three attempts at trying to qualify, the first one I was nowhere close, the second one I finished second at British trials, and the third time, well here we are. To finally make it, it’s quite hard to articulate really.”

HORSE RACING

Horse racing’s jump season returns in earnest this weekend and that has meant the crowds returning to Wales’ two main racecourses at Chepstow and Ffos Las.

The meetings at Chepstow on Friday and Saturday are followed by the major race of the weekend, the Dragonbet Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las on Sunday.

Last year, the race was won by the Irish-owned and trained Effernock Fizz, but there will be a chance for Wales to reclaim the title, with Welsh trainers, such as Evan Williams, out to deny the Irish a repeat.

Williams was a winner of the title in 2018 when Silver Streak streaked home, with Wales-based jockey Adam Wedge on board.

Effernock Fizz will be back to defend the title, and also making a return is last year’s runner-up, Milkwood.