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Gemma Frizelle has been selected to compete for Great Britain at the 2021 Rhythmic European Championships to be staged in Varna, Bulgaria, between 10-13 June. Carmarthen-born Frizelle, who turned 23 last Sunday, was part of Team Wales at the last Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast in 2018 and is a contender for Birmingham next year. Frizelle, who is attached to Llanelli Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy, also competed at the Rhythmic World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, three years ago.

Lauren Price was narrowly beaten by old rival Nouchka Fontjin on her ring return at the Grand Prix event in Ústí nad Labem in the Czech Republic. The 26-year-old defeat at the hands of the Dutch boxer leaves her with bronze from her second competitive event of 2021.

Ken Owens was one of 10 Welsh players and four Scarlets to make the British and Irish Lions squad, but there’s no rest for The Sheriff. He’s back in action on Saturday in the Rainbow Cup against the Ospreys, underlining the dedication that will make him the Lions’ Test hooker, says Adam Jones as he tells Graham Thomas. Ken Owens is “nailed on” to become the Lions Test hooker this summer, according to his former Wales front row teammate Adam Jones. Owens was one of four Scarlets and 10 Welsh players named on Thursday in the Lions squad to tour South Africa.

While some may have been eyeing the central heating controls on what seemed like one of the coldest May evenings in living memory, Kyron Duke was delighted to be competing in the driving, icy rain in Cardiff. To be fair, he wasn’t alone. There was a strong turnout for this week’s Run With the Wind event with athletes of all disciplines raring to go after the disruptions of the past year.

Tokyo’s state of emergency has been extended until the end of May in a bid to tackle rising coronavirus infections, according to reports – placing more doubts over the staging of the delayed Olympic Games. The Japanese capital is due to host the Games in just over two months’ time, with the Paralympic Games to follow. A number of Welsh athletes and para athletes such as Jade Jones, Elinor Barker, Aled Davies, Dan Jervis Alys Thomas, Jacob Draper, Leah Wilkinson, Emily Thomas, Holly Arnold, Chris Grube, Hannah Mills and others are hoping to be in Japan this summer

Two years ago Welsh sprint sensation Jeremiah Azu had European Under-20 gold within his grasp when disaster struck. The Cardiff athlete was just yards from victory in the 100m final when he pulled up sharply, clutching his hamstring in agony. The then 18-year-old's challenge ended in pain and anguish, face down on the Ryavallen Athletics Stadium track in Sweden.

Alun Wyn Jones believes the number of captaincy candidates for this summer’s British and Irish Lions’ tour to South Africa reached “probably double figures”. And Jones acclaimed the leadership quality of England lock Maro Itoje, who was widely thought to be his main rival for Lions captaincy duties. Wales skipper Jones will lead the 2021 Lions, adding another gilt-edged entry to a career CV that already includes five Six Nations titles, three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-final appearances.

Morgan Whittaker has admitted he wasn’t surprised to be racially abused on Instagram – he was actually expecting it. The Swansea City striker became the fourth player from the Championship club to be racially abused this season via social media, and it came during the official Football League blackout. Having scored a vital goal in the win over relegation threatened Derby County last weekend, his former club, Whittaker said he was “buzzing”. Then came the horrible realisation that his goal had sparked a terrible reaction.

Rob Page plans to pick the brains of Chris Coleman before Wales begin another Euro finals adventure. Caretaker manager Page intends to sound out Coleman for advice, having already drafted in one of the former manager’s assistants, Kit Symons to the cause. Five years ago, Coleman led Wales all the way to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 and Page – who was last month confirmed in charge in the absence of Ryan Giggs – wants to glean the inside track on how Wales can make a similar impact at this year’s delayed tournament.