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Wales boss Rhian Wilkinson has welcomed the “science” to understand why so many female footballers suffer anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries after losing Elise Hughes for the rest of the UEFA Euro 2025 qualifying campaign. Hughes was top Crystal Palace scorer with 16 goals in 21 games as the Eagles secured promotion to the Women’s Super League by winning the Championship title.

Former Wales talisman Gareth Bale believes Jude Bellingham would be in a strong position to win the Ballon d’Or by inspiring England to Euro 2024 glory. No Englishman has won the honour as best player in the world since Michael Owen’s success in 2001, but Bellingham’s remarkable impact at Bale’s former club Real Madrid has put him top of the contenders alongside club colleague Vinicius Junior.

Those were the words of Deri coach David Iles after watching his side add the Worthington’s Mid District Division Five Cup to make it a league and cup double and cap a tremendous season. Tom Elliott was the star of the show with a 30-point personal haul to steer his side to a comfortable 40-12 victory over Hirwaun in their final showdown at Sardis Road.

James Ledger has gone from someone who worried sport might not be for him, to an athlete aiming to be wearing a GB vest at the Paris Paralympics this summer. The transformation for the 100m sprinter - who is visually impaired - has not been without hard work and the occasional road block, but he would recommend it to anyone.

Wattstown bagged the Rhondda derby bragging rights as they defeated 14-man Penygraig, 41-13, to lift the Worthington’s Mid District Division Three Cup at Sardis Road. Penygraig had won both league meetings between the rival clubs in Division Three East Central this season, but this time it was the Ducks who came out on top.

DAVID Smith admits it will be a tough task to become a triple individual Paralympic champion, but believes he is on track with 100 days to go to Paris. Great Britain’s three-time gold medal winner – he also picked up a team gold at his first Games in Beijing in 2008 – will be chasing a hat-trick of successive individual BC1 titles at the Games in France this summer.

Ferndale ended their season by picking up another piece of silverware as they defeated Tonyrefail in their Rhondda derby at Sardis Road to lift the Worthington’s Mid District Division Four Cup. The two sides had both beaten each other once in Division Four East Central this season, where Tonyrefail finished second and earned promotion while Ferndale finished third.

Glamorgan coach Grant Bradburn believes his team can take much from their narrow home Vitality County Championship defeat to Middlesex. The visitors secured a two-wicket victory at Sophia Gardens with Mark Stoneman top-scoring in a win that came right down to the last few overs on the fourth day.

Anna Hursey believes she produced some of the best form of her career to qualify for the table tennis women’s singles at this year’s Olympic Games. The teenager became the first Great Britain player to book a place for Paris and will also become the first Welsh player to play at an Olympics after coming through the European singles qualification tournament in Sarajevo at the weekend.

Rob Edwards admitted the doubters were right about Luton after they were relegated from the Premier League following a final-day 4-2 defeat to Fulham at Kenilworth Road. Adama Traore opened the scoring for the Cottagers with Raul Jimenez on target twice and Harry Wilson rounding things off midway through the second half. Carlton Morris (penalty) and Alfie Doughty scored to make it 1-1 and 2-3, but the visitors had too much.