The athlete named Team Wales captain for Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022

With three weeks to go until the start of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Team Wales has announced its team captain as lawn bowler Anwen Butten.

Butten, from Carmarthen, is one of Wales' most experienced Commonwealth Games athletes, having represented her country at every Games since 2002, when she took home a bronze medal.

Birmingham 2022 will be her sixth time competing for her country at the world stage event.

She was inspired to play bowls aged 13 after watching her mum play internationally. The sport is an integral part of family life with both her parents and her children playing lawn bowls.

She also works as a nurse supporting cancer patients.

To celebrate her captaincy, Butten visited Ysgol Gynradd Dolbadarn, Gwynedd, and spoke to pupils about her experience of representing Wales on the global stage.

The school, situated close to Snowdonia, was chosen to complement the story behind the Team Wales kit, which Butten helped to design.

The kit is adorned with the topography of Snowdon, representing the 2022 campaign message 'the summit of our aspirations'.

Butten described her appointment as captain as an "honour".

"As athletes, you prepare yourself to compete and you concentrate on your performance but the truth is, the environment and the team around you makes such a difference," she said.

"I'm hoping I can use my experience to support those athletes who might be coming to their first Games, but also help inspire the full team."

Chris Jenkins, CEO of Commonwealth Games Wales said: "Anwen epitomises our values and the vision here for Team Wales, with her experience and aspirations. We're thrilled to have Anwen captain Team Wales for Birmingham."