David Roberts MBE joins David Davies and Jazz Carlin to spearhead Wales’ swimming challenge at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India.
Four years ago in Melbourne, Team Wales took three medals from the pool. David Roberts contributed to the Melbourne medal tally with Bronze in the 100m freestyle multi-disability event. He is looking to complete a Commonwealth hat-trick after picking up Bronze medals in Melbourne 2006 and Manchester 2002.
"I’m really happy to be given the chance to represent Wales. It will definitely be the toughest challenge of my career as I will be swimming against a category less disabled than myself in Delhi. By rights I shouldn’t really be quick enough to compete against S8 swimmers and this will be a first as the medals will be decided on first touch, rather than racing against the world record time for our category.
"After winning the 100m freestyle at the World Champs, I am very happy with my progress only two years out from the start of the London 2012 Games. It has been a very challenging 12 months with illness and injury but it’s great to be back competing."
Davies will be defending the 1500m freestyle title, and hoping to add to the 400m freestyle bronze he won four years ago in Melbourne.
Carlin has set her sights on becoming the first Welsh woman to win a medal in a Commonwealth Games pool since 1974.
The pool team won three medals at the last Games, and performance manager Martyn Woodroffe said he expects to improve on that total in India.
"This is Wales’ strongest ever swim team to be fielded at a Commonwealth Games," he said.
"As we are able to call on Olympic and Paralympic medalists, we are in a strong position. As well as experienced swimmers, we also have names to note for the future.
"The team is certainly the most professional group of swimmers and staff I have worked with – all of whom are setting extremely high standards and targets."
Davies has struggled to find his best form in the pool since moving his training base from Cardiff to Loughborough in 2007.
But the Barry-born swimmer has since returned to the Welsh capital and says a gold medal for Wales will be the perfect launch-pad as he turns his attention to the 2012 London Olympic Games.
"It’s the big target for me this year and I’m looking forward to defending my title," said the double Olympic medalist.
"It’s certainly going to be tough and Canada’s Ryan Cochrane will be the one to watch. It’s a pretty special feeling to represent Wales and there’s nothing quite like the Commonwealth Games.
"The team spirit within the Welsh camp in Melbourne was really motivating."
Carlin, on the other hand, has enjoyed a hugely successful 18 months. The 19-year-old won bronze at the 2009 World Championships as part of Great Britain’s 4×200m freestyle team, and beat world championship silver medalist Jackson and double Olympic champion Adlington in a Great Britain versus Germany international in February.
"They’re both girls I know well and they’ll be there for England in six weeks time," says Carlin, who competed for Wales while still at school four years ago.
"We’ve won relay medals at the Europeans and Worlds together but now we’re on different teams."
At 15-year-old, Sian Morgan is the youngest member of the team and will be among nine members of the team making their Commonwealth debuts.
Team Wales chef de mission, Chris Jenkins, said: "We are very excited to welcome on board our swimmers – we have a great mix of youth and experience and we are confident that this is a high calibre team.
"We envisage that Team Wales will send almost 200 athletes to Delhi with further announcements due to be made for tennis and rugby sevens."
