Elias aims for Games glory

Elias is determined to bring back a medal

Welsh athlete Matt Elias says the build-up to the Commonwealth Games will be the most exciting time of his life.

The European under-21 400 metre hurdles champion was named in a 34-strong Wales athletics squad for the event in Manchester.

Elias smashed his personal best in winning the 400m hurdles at the Aqua-Pura English Commonwealth Games trials in June.

And he has set his sights on a medal in his first major championship appearance.

"Everything is going really well for me so far this season," said the Cardiff-based runner after being selected.

Iwan Thomas is struggling with an injury

"So the next five weeks are going to be really important to get a good preparation before the Commonwealths."

Elias will also be an integral part of the Welsh 4x400m relay team - a quartet capable of bringing back gold.

Much, though, will depend on the form of Jamie Baulch and Iwan Thomas.

Thomas, who won the individual 400m event in the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur, has struggled so far this season.

In fact, he only qualified for the team on the strength of his performances last season.

"If they can get back to their full fitness, we'll have a very strong quartet," Elias added. "On paper, we should be one of the strongest teams there.

"Let's just hope Iwan and Jamie can get back to their '98 form and we can really give it a go."

Wales' best hope of gold will come in the men's 110 metre hurdles where Colin Jackson aims for a third consecutive winners' medal.

Catherine Murphy has a gold medal in her sights

The world-record holder has shown impressive early-season form, and says he is totally focused on winning in Manchester.

Women's 400m runner Catherine Murphy is another hot medal hopeful - especially since main rival Katharine Merry has been forced to withdraw with injury.

With Christian Malcolm choosing to run in only the 200m, there had been concern that Wales would be without any 100m runners since no-one had clocked the necessary qualifying time.

But the selectors have decided to give Jamie Henthorn and Kevin Williams the benefit of the doubt.

Not so in the women's event, though, where there will be an absence of Welsh competitors.

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Wales athletics squad for the XVII Commonwealth Games in Manchester

Men: Jamie Baulch (400m/4x400m relay), Tim Benjamin (400m/4x400m relay), Matt Elias (400m hurles/4x400m relay), Paul Gray (110m hurdles), Jamie Henthorn (100m/200m/4x100m relay), James Hillier (400m hurdles/4x400m relay), Colin Jackson (110m hurdles/4x100m relay), Andres Jones (10000m/5000m), Christian Malcolm (200m/100m relay), Robert Mitchell (high jump), Don Taylor (3000m steeplechase), Lee Newman (discus), Steven Shalders (triple jump/100m relay), Matthew Shone (800m/1500m), Christian Stephenson (3000m steeplechase), Iwan Thomas (400m/4x400m relay), Tim Thomas (pole vault), Doug Turner (200m/4x100m and 400m relay), Kevin Williams (100m/4x100m relay).

Women: Lesley Brannan (hammer), Rhian Clarke (pole vault), Julie Crane (high jump), Emma Davies (800m), Laura Douglas (hammer), Cath Dugdale (5000m), Rebecca Jones (high jump), Rachel King (100m hurdles), Sonia Lawrence (pole vault), Natalie Lewis (1500m), Sarah Moore (hammer), Catherine Murphy (400m), Rachael Newcombe (1500m), Philippa Roles (discus/shot), Hayley Tullet (1500m).