Team Wales has today announced the athletes selected to represent the nation at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, taking place from 23 July to 2 August 2026. A total of 114 athletes will compete across 10 sports, proudly representing Wales at the 23rd Commonwealth Games. This announcement comes as Glasgow prepares to host the Games for the second time, having previously welcomed athletes in 2014. 

Among the names were our team of weightlifters, of whom there is a mixture of Commonwealth Games debutants and previous Games athletes. The full weightlifting team for Wales consists of:

• Nikole Roberts - Women’s 48kg
• Madaline Connelly - Women’s 53kg 
• Catrin Haf Jones - Women’s 58kg 
• Chloe Hood - Women’s 69kg 
• Laura Hughes - Women’s 77kg
• James Wales - Men’s 110kg

Team Wales will be led by Chef de Mission Gethin Jones, who will be the spokesperson for the Team in Glasgow;  “It is an incredible honour to lead Team Wales this summer in Glasgow and to serve as spokesperson for this talented group of athletes. My role is to support and guide the team, ensuring every athlete has the environment and encouragement they need to perform at their very best on the Commonwealth stage. This group represents the very best of Welsh sport—dedicated, ambitious and proud to wear the red jersey. We are building on the legacy of 2014 with real belief, and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of this team. I can’t wait to see what they achieve in Glasgow.”

With a proud history at the Commonwealth Games and a strong blend of experience and emerging talent, the Team Wales weightlifting squad heads to Glasgow 2026 ready to compete, connect and inspire. The team will aim to build on Wales' proud Commonwealth Games legacy, as well as showcasing the strength of Welsh weightlifting on one of sport's biggest stages. Catrin Haf Jones will compete at her third Games while Laura Hughes competes in her second Games, having won bronze on the Gold Coast in 2018. 

At Glasgow, the weightlifting competition is scheduled across five days, from the Sunday 26 July to Thursday 30 July, with three sessions per day ranging from early morning to late evening. Our Welsh athletes will be competing for medals against the very best weightlifters from across the Commonwealth.

First up to the competition platform for Wales will be Nikole Roberts, who competes on the first day of weightlifting action at the Games on the afternoon of 26 July. And it all concludes with James Wales on the final day on 30 July. Our Welsh team will compete on the following days:

Nikole Roberts - Sunday 26th July (2pm)

Madaline Connelly - Monday 27th July (2pm)

Catrin Haf Jones - Tuesday 28th July (2pm)

Chloe Hood - Tuesday 28th July (6.30pm)

Laura Hughes - Wednesday 29th July (9am)

James Wales - Thursday 30th July (6.30pm)

The weightlifting venue at Glasgow will be SEC Armadillo. Tickets for all weightlifting sessions are still on sale, so now is your chance to secure your seats to cheer on all our athletes. https://www.glasgow2026.com/tickets 

We are incredibly proud of the athletes selected and grateful to the coaches, clubs, volunteers and families who have supported them along the way. Representing Wales at a Commonwealth Games is a tremendous honour and we know this team will wear the Welsh jersey with pride.

A thank you to our funding partners - National Lottery & Welsh Government 

Weightlifting Wales is a proud recipient of National Lottery funding. The National Lottery has been a game changer for Welsh sport for over 30 years. The National Lottery directly funds our elite Welsh athletes, supports the grassroots clubs through which they emerge, and invests into creating opportunities for our athletes to reach such achievements than competing at the Commonwealth Games. Find out how your National Lottery numbers make amazing things happen by visiting www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk

The Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport Heledd Fychan said:

“We believe in the power of culture and sport to transform lives, and sport plays a crucial role in communities at local clubs and at the international elite level. Team Wales athletes represent the very best in their respective fields and will be an inspiration to everyone across the country both when competing and as ambassadors for our values as a nation.  I know the whole of Wales is proud of the team and I wish them the very best of luck.”