With just 100 days to go until the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Team Wales are deep into the final phase of preparations – and Chef de Mission Gethin Jones is relishing both the responsibility and the opportunity that comes with leading the “team behind the team.”

Jones, who has been in the role for around 18 months, admits that outside sport the title itself can sound mysterious.

“When you tell someone you’re a Chef de Mission, it sounds incredibly profound and intriguing, but actually, if you were to ask them what it is, they wouldn’t have a clue outside the sporting and military world,” he joked, recalling how even a TV chef on his BBC Morning Live day job was briefly confused by the title.

Yet behind the humour sits a serious mission. Jones sees the role as both ambassadorial and deeply practical, helping raise the profile of the Games and of Team Wales while also shaping the environment in which athletes will compete.

“It’s been nice to sort of raise awareness about the role, and as a consequence, knock-on effect, obviously raising the profile of Commonwealth Games as well. It’s been well documented that this will be very much a reimagined Games,” Jones explained.

“My job is to try and ensure a positive future and a great legacy in Glasgow.”

Obsessing Over the Details

One of the striking features of Jones’s approach is how much attention he and the wider Team Wales leadership are paying to the smallest details of the athlete experience.

He describes recent visits to Glasgow with the Commonwealth Games Federation and the local organising committee, where the focus was on the practical realities that can affect performance.

“You find yourself become obsessed with the little things you can do to try and ensure the athletes have the best possible environment to succeed in Glasgow,” he said.

“How long is the walk from the hotel to the shuttle bus to the venue, in terms of athletes being on their feet and time on feet on competition day?

“What does the venue look like? What are the facilities there? Where do you keep a pole vault? How would you travel with a pole vault?”

For Jones, these questions aren’t mere logistics; they are central to performance.

“It’s all about making sure when the athletes arrive, all they have to think about is competing at their level best. That’s the job of the team behind the team,” he stressed.

Learning From Gold Coast, Leading in Glasgow

Jones’s experience as a team attaché at the 2018 Gold Coast Games has shaped how he views Glasgow 2026. Back then, he says, he arrived unsure how much difference he could make but quickly saw the impact of strong support on often very young athletes.

“Some of these athletes are young. Some of them are, you know, not even adults… a 17-year-old is disappointed with the result on the day, then it’s about how you deal with that athlete mentally to make sure that they’re still around in four years’ time to maybe have another go,” he reflected.

Now, stepping up from attaché to Chef de Mission, he views it as a true leadership role built on that earlier learning:

“My goodness, the experience in Gold Coast has been invaluable in terms of understanding the kind of pressure, the kind of atmosphere the athletes will be under, and if I can do something to help with that, in a positive way, whether that’s through their success or their disappointment, then we’ll be ready to do that,” he added.

Pride, Purpose and ‘David and Goliath’ Matchups

On a personal level, the role fulfils a childhood ambition.

“I always wanted to compete for my country as a kid, and I wasn’t good enough. What’s the next best thing? Well, I think that is wear the Welsh shirt and be in the team behind the team to try and help us get success,” Jones explained.

“Some of these athletes are full-time workers, and they do their sports part time, and they will take on the very best in the world.

“It’s incredible David and Goliath stories, matchups when we go to Glasgow. I think that’s what inspires me.

“All I hope, and what we hope as a team, is making sure they have an environment where they can do their best. And if an athlete hits a personal best and comes 12th, I’ll be as emotional and as proud and as happy as someone winning a gold medal.”

The Countdown Is On

With the Games now rapidly approaching, key milestones are reinforcing the sense that Glasgow 2026 is very real and very close.

Recent venue visits, the launch of Gwen the Dragon mascot, and the looming kit days and team selection have all added to the momentum.

“It feels the countdown is very much on,” Jones said, noting the unveiling of a new poem The Dreaming Dragon under the banner “My Wales, My World” as part of efforts to bring the whole nation behind the team.

Ultimately, his goal is simple but profound: to unite Wales behind its athletes as they head to a reimagined Games in Glasgow this summer.

“It’s all part of the idea of trying to get the nation, as we like to say, everyone from the hills, the coast and all the people in between, trying to get their eyes on an athlete come Glasgow end of July.”

If the meticulous preparation and passion of the team behind the team are any indication, Team Wales will arrive in Glasgow ready not just to compete, but to inspire.

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