Darts

It was yet another great week for Wales’ two standout performers as they secured their spots in the top four of the PDC Premier League.

Jonny Clayton knew he had to beat Nathan Aspinall to maintain his 100% record and qualify for the Premier League Play-Offs, and he did just that with the help of his mate Gerwyn Price, despite suffering a defeat against ‘The Asp’.

In the semi-final, Price triumphed over Aspinall with a 6-3 victory, ensuring he finished the group stages at the top of the table and also assisted his Welsh teammate Jonny Clayton in securing fourth place.

The Ice Man then had the opportunity to make history by becoming the first player to achieve five nightly wins but was defeated by Belgium’s Dancing Dimitri Van den Bergh, who emerged victorious in their final leg shootout at Aberdeen’s showpiece final.

Squash

Four-time World Champion and the eventual winner, Ali Farag, ended Joel Makin’s defence of his Manchester Open title at the semi-final stage.

Defending champion Makin faced a formidable opponent in Egypt’s Farag, and despite a valiant effort, he was unable to overcome the World number four across the four sets.

Makin had earlier defeated Aly Abou Eleinen 3-0 in the second round, winning 11-3, 11-2, 11-9 in just 47 minutes, before holding off Fares Dessouky 3-2 in a mammoth 81-minute tie in the quarterfinal.

Tesni Evans and Emily Whitlock also showed promise but fell short in the quarterfinal stage. Evans suffered a 3-1 defeat against Satomi Watanabe, while Whitlock was defeated 3-0 by Gina Kennedy.

Cycling

It was a challenging weekend for Geraint Thomas, as the adverse weather conditions played havoc with the Giro d’Italia.

Despite a valiant effort in the gruelling 13th stage, where he held onto the coveted maglia rosa, Thomas unfortunately lost the leader’s pink jersey during the treacherous 14th stage.

Stage 13 saw Einer Rubio emerge victorious, taking the victory amidst rain-interrupted proceedings that resulted in a shortened race.

However, Geraint Thomas, managed to retain the overall lead, holding the maglia rosa ahead of formidable contenders Primoz Roglic and Joao Almeida.

However, the 14th stage brought a change in fortune for Thomas. Crossing the finish line with the peloton, Thomas found himself 21 minutes behind the breakaway.

As a result, France’s Bruno Armirail claimed the lead position. Although Armirail is not expected to pose a significant threat for overall victory, the decision to conserve energy was made by Thomas and the peloton.

Given the circumstances, teams have understandably adopted a more cautious approach, waiting for improved weather conditions before pushing the boundaries of their performance.

As the Giro d’Italia progresses, the weather will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the outcome of the race.

Boxing

Welsh boxing achieved a resounding triumph at the Boxam Tournament in Benidorm over the weekend. Owain Harris-Allen and Zoe Andrews secured two gold medals each, while Orlando Holley-Sotomi and Scott Richards added two more medals to the tally.

The success story continued for Welsh boxing, with Wales’ junior boxer’s also picking up four medals in Spain.

Zoe emerged victorious in the women’s 54kg division, triumphing over Spain’s Luna Maria Mairene Aragon with a 4-1 split decision.

Meanwhile, Owain, a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, secured gold in the elite men’s 57kg category, defeating England’s Trowbridge Ellis with the same result.

Orlando Holley-Sotomi, representing Wales, put on a commendable performance in the men’s 71kg class, earning a well-deserved silver medal despite losing to Spain’s Frank Martinez in the final. Additionally, Scott Richards showcased his skills and claimed a bronze medal in the men’s 51kg category, further bolstering Wales’ overall achievements.

Wales’ junior boxers also secured four gold medals in their maiden international outings. In the 48kg Junior division, Troy Hayer represented Wales against Romania’s Nicolas Boncu in a riveting clash. It was Hayer who claimed a hard-fought split decision win (3:2). Meanwhile, Henry Janes defeated Romania’s Marian Petrache in the 57kg category via a unanimous decision.

In the 60kg weight class, Alfie Lewis also picked up a well-earned unanimous decision victory over Estonia’s Nikita Korsunov. Kai Powell, another Welsh boxer, stepped into the ring in the 63kg division against Spain’s Alexndru Montoya Calero.

The judges awarded Powell a well-earned victory through a unanimous decision, further solidifying Kai’s reputation as a promising talent in Welsh boxing.