All the Welsh athletes going to the Paris 2024 Olympics

The Paris 2024 Olympics is set to kick off on Friday, 26 July. Credit: PA

The Paris 2024 Olympics is set to kick off on Friday, 26 July with its highly anticipated opening ceremony.

It officially marks the beginning of the multi-sport event as a total of 10,500 athletes, representing 206 countries, as well as around 120 heads of states, sovereigns and heads of government are expected to attend.

But who are the Welsh athletes aiming for gold?

Athletics

  • Jeremiah Azu4 x 100m relay

The fastest Welshman in history is the only athlete from these shores competing in track and field at the Stade de France.

At 23, Azu is going to his first Olympic games after coming second at the UK Athletics Championships - essentially the Team GB trials in all but name - back in June.

Event Dates: August 3 (heats), August 4 (semi-final and final), August 9 (relay).

Boxing

  • Rosie EcclesWomen’s 66kg

Reaching the Olympics is the end of a long road for Eccles. Covid cost her a place at the Games in Tokyo three years ago, with the virus causing nerve damage in her shoulder.

There were moments where she feared for her career but she recovered to win gold for Wales at the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

Event Dates: July 28 (start), August 9 (final).

Emma Finucane is heading to her first Olympics. Credit: PA

Cycling

  • Elinor BarkerTeam pursuit, madison

She's heading to her third Olympics after taking a gold home from Rio and a silver medal from Tokyo.

She won two world titles last year in the team pursuit and madison.

Event dates: August 6 and 7 (team pursuit), August 9 (madison).

  • Emma FinucaneSprint, team sprint, keirin

The 21-year-old is going to her first Olympics with a level of pressure on her shoulders that belies her age.

But the expectation is well-earned as Finucane is one of the hottest properties on two wheels heading into the Games.

She is a world and European champion and will be one of the favourites in Paris. But nothing is a given in sprint cycling.

Event dates: August 5 (team sprint), August 7 (keirin heats), August 8 (keirin final), August 9 and 10 (sprint heats), August 11 (sprint final).

  • Ella Maclean-HowellCross country mountain bike

At the age of 19, Paris will be an incredible experience for the teenager who started off at the renowned Maindy Flyers in Cardiff.

Event date: July 28.

  • Anna MorrisTeam pursuit, road race

She was a junior doctor during the Covid-19 pandemic when the last Olympics took place in Tokyo but took time out to compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games for Wales.

Since then, she moved into the British Cycling programme and didn’t look back.

Event dates: August 4 (road race), August 6 and 7 (team pursuit).

  • Jess RobertsTeam pursuit

She will be racing at her first Olympics after overcoming back issues but has two experiences of the Commonwealth Games behind her.

Event dates: August 6 and 7.

  • Josh TarlingTime trial, road race

At just 20 years of age, Tarling already has plenty of hardware to his name.

Last year, he became European time trial champion and picked up a bronze at the World Championships, adding to two British titles.

Event dates: July 27 (time trial), August 3 (road race).

  • Stevie WilliamsRoad race

He'll be making his Olympic debut this year but is used to the French roads having just competed in the Tour de France for Israel Premier-Tech.

Has won major races in Australia and Belgium this year.

Event date: August 3.

Gymnastics

  • Ruby EvansArtistic Gymnastics

She is the youngest Welsh athlete at the Olympics, which will be her first experience at the pinnacle of her sport.

But Evans is getting more comfortable representing Team GB, having competed at the World Championships and European Championships in the last year.

Event dates: July 28 (qualifying), July 30 (final).

Jade Jones is heading to her fourth Olympics in search of her third gold medal. Credit: PA

Hockey

  • Jacob Draper, Gareth Furlong, Rupert ShipperleyMen’s hockey

Draper might still be in his mid-20s but is well on his way to 150 combined caps for Wales and Great Britain. He will be looking to make amends after being part of GB’s disappointing showing in Tokyo, along with Shipperley.

Shipperley meanwhile, has almost 150 caps for Wales alone and was only selected by Great Britain for the first time last month, scoring on his debut.

Event dates: July 27 (pool matches begin), August 8 (final).

  • Sarah JonesWomen’s hockey

She played a key role in Team GB’s bronze at the last Olympic Games. She will be hoping to help the women’s team podium for the fourth consecutive Games.

Event dates: July 28 (pool matches begin), August 9 (final).

Rowing

  • Matt AldridgeMen’s four

Part of a strong team, who are the reigning world champions and unbeaten this year. In the event where Sir Steve Redgrave cemented his legacy, Team GB has dominated since the last Games, making Aldridge part of the team to beat.

Event dates: July 28 (heats), August 1 (final).

  • Tom Barras, Graeme ThomasQuadruple sculls

Barras was part of the first British team to medal in the Quadruple Sculls class in Tokyo, when they took home the silver.

The quest for gold has driven Barras to continue on to Paris.

Thomas will be hoping it’s third time lucky after flying home from Rio with illness and leaving Tokyo’s double sculls event empty-handed.

Event dates: July 27 (heats), July 31 (final)

  • Harry BrightmoreMen’s eight

Brightmore is the Cox, meaning he steers the boat rather than propels it. He guided the team to world titles in both 2022 and 2023.

Event dates: July 29 (heats), August 3 (final).

  • Eve StewartWomen’s eight

Born in the Netherlands but her Welsh mum represented her country in Netball. Originally rowed for the country of her birth but now heads to the Olympics under the flag of Great Britain.

Event dates: July 29 (heats), August 3 (final).

  • Becky WildeWomen’s double sculls

Having spent years representing Wales as a swimmer, Wilde has now turned her hand to rowing, securing qualification for the Olympics back in May alongside Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne.

Event dates: July 27 (heats), August 1 (final).

  • Ollie Wynne-GriffithMen’s pair

Picked up bronze at the last Games as part of the men’s eight team but switched to the pair for this Olympic cycle alongside long-time friend Tom George.

The two have podiumed regularly since the last Games and won a European title earlier this year.

Event dates: July 28 (heats), August 2 (final).

Rugby Sevens

  • Jasmine Joyce

Joyce is the first British rugby player to reach three consecutive Games, having featured in Rio and Tokyo previously.

But both Games ended in disappointment, with Team GB losing in the bronze medal match on both occasions.

This time, the team head into the Games with far less expectation on their shoulders but Joyce will be hoping to finally get her hands on a medal.

Event dates: July 28 - July 30.

Sailing

  • Micky BeckettMen’s dinghy

Worked as part of the TV production crew at the last Games, advising directors where to send the cameras in helicopters and helping them understand how the race was developing.

Since then, he has held the number one ranking in the world and scooped a handful of medals on his way to the Olympics in Paris.

Event dates: August 1 - August 6.

  • Chris GrubeMixed dinghy

Has two Olympic Games under his belt, finishing fifth in both. Claimed silver at the most recent World Championships alongside Vita Heathcote and will be hoping to go one better and finally clinch that Olympic medal.

Event dates: August 2 - August 7.

Swimming

  • Kieran Bird

    400m freestyle

Originally from Bicester and the son of a Welshman, this will be his second Olympic games.

The 24-year-old has already set personal bests this year in the 50m, 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle.

Event date: July 27 (heats and final).

  • Medi Harris

    100m backstroke, 4x200m freestyle relay

The Porthmadog born swimmer will make her debut this year with strong support from locals and her swimming club 'Clwb Nofio Caernarfon'.

At 21 years old, she has had a breakout year, medalling twice at the recent World Championships.

Qualified for her first Olympics under difficult circumstances, following the passing of her mother, Ellie.

Event dates: July 29 (heats), July 30 (final), August 1 (relay heats and final).

  • Daniel Jervis

    1500m freestyle

This will be the second Olympic experience for the Neath athlete, who is looking to build on his fifth place position from the Tokyo 2020 games.

An advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, he says he has been "obsessed" with the Olympics since watching Rebecca Adlington win double gold at Beijing 2008.

Event dates: August 3 (heats), August 4 (final).

  • Hector Pardoe

    10km marathon

He won a historic 10km bronze at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships, becoming the first British man to win a global open water medal since Welsh compatriot David Davies, securing a quota place for Paris 2024.

Matt Richards is one of the most exciting Welsh athletes heading to the Games this summer. Credit: PA

Event date: August 2

  • Matt Richards

    50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay, 4x200m freestyle relay, 4x100m medley

Along with Finucane, Richards is one of the most exciting Welsh athletes heading to the Games this summer.

There are high hopes for Richards, who has became the nation's youngest Olympic champion in Tokyo after success in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

Since then, he has become a World champion as an individual in the 200m freestyle and will be entering a plethora of events in Paris.

Event dates (only finals listed): July 29 (200m freestyle), July 30 (4x200m freestyle relay), July 31 (100m freestyle), August 2 (50m freestyle), August 4 (4x100m medley relay).

Table Tennis

  • Anna Hursey

    Women's singles

Has remarkable experience for such a young competitor having first been selected by Team Wales the Commonwealth Games aged 11 in 2018. She went on to win a historic bronze four years later.

Now 18, she becomes the first Welsh table tennis player to go to the Olympics.

Event dates: July 27 - August 3.

Taekwondo

  • Jade Jones

    -57kg

Heading to her fourth Olympics in search of her third gold medal.

Jones will be hoping to make amends for what was a disappointing showing in Tokyo after dominating the previous two Games, which sent her profile sky-rocketing.

Event date: August 8.

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