By Tomos Hughes
Among Wales’ top prospects for a medal at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham are a pair of identical twins from Crymych – boxers Ioan and Garan Croft.
The 21-year-olds have represented Wales and Team GB over the past year and both claimed silver medals at the U22 European Boxing Championships in Croatia, in March.
The brothers also enjoyed success at the European Amateur Boxing Championships in Armenia in May, as they stepped up to fight at the senior men’s level for the first time.
Ioan, fighting in the welterweight category, came home with a bronze medal, while light-middleweight Garan won a silver, losing out to English rival and fellow GB boxer Harris Akbar in the final.
Since taking up the sport at Cardigan ABC, the two brothers have fought at different weights in order to avoid facing each other – and the wrath of their mother.
The twins will feature in a special S4C film, Cymry’r Gemau (Welsh of the Games) featuring five of Wales’ top athletes as they prepare for the Commonwealth Games.
Also included are discus thrower Aled Siôn Davies, triathlete Non Stanford, and Team Wales captain, lawn bowler Anwen Butten.
Ioan said: “I’m comfortable at light middleweight, but I know Garan prefers to fight at that weight.
Garan added: “To be fair, I would still fight at light middleweight if I didn’t have a twin! But because we fight at different weights, we will never face each other in the boxing ring. And that means we can both go to the Commonwealth Games.”
“We do everything together,” Ioan added. “Training, travelling, living, eating. The only thing we haven’t done is box competitively against each other. That’s one thing that will never happen because our mum will never speak to us again!”
The two are part of the nine-strong Team Wales boxing contingent, who will be under the tutelage of coaches Colin Jones, Zack Davies, and Connor Gething.
Coach Zack Davies, who represented Wales at the Delhi Games in 2014, said: “I’ve trained Ioan and Garan from the off.
“They were juniors in the squad back then, just young boys. They are a bit special. They have something about them, the drive and the determination.
🗣️ “It means a lot to me, the Commonwealth Games. As a nation for Wales it’s the one everybody remembers if you win it.”
With less than a week to go until action in Birmingham gets underway, we caught up with @garan_croft. 💫@TeamWales🏴 pic.twitter.com/Z6nohNdGQr
— GB Boxing (@gbboxing) July 22, 2022
“They know what they want and they put the work in. They’ve experienced a lot, coming through the youth and junior levels.
“They are seniors now and I’m proud to see what they’ve done and to see them do so well. They are nice boys and very humble.”
The Welsh team boxing team enjoyed a magnificent games at Gold Coast in 2018 as Lauren Price and Sammy Lee both won gold medals, while Rosie Eccles took silver and Mickey McDonagh claimed a bronze medal.
The four medal haul saw Wales finish fourth in the boxing medal table, behind only England, India and Australia.
And the twins are confident of emulating their predecessors this time around at the NEC Arena.
Ioan said: “Hearing the national anthem in Birmingham will be incredible. I remember watching the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and four years down the line, here we are, and we have a chance to show everyone what we can do. I think both of us are good enough to win at the games.
Garan added: “There’s something within us that wants to win. Thinking about going home empty-handed, without a medal or without winning, just feels like a waste of time, and that feeling motivates us to do well.”
Watch S4C’s Cymry’r Gemau (Welsh of the Games) at 9.30pm on Tuesday night, or on demand on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer. English subtitles available.
You can catch up with the latest from Team Wales every night during the Commonwealth Games with a daily highlights show on S4C. Birmingham 2022: Cymru yn y Gemau starts with a preview show at 10.00pm on Thursday 28 July.