Hawarden’s Sally Peake hopes to go one better at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games with poles she can call her own.

Peake, who will represent Wales down under, won pole vault silver at Glasgow in 2014 despite having to borrow poles when hers went missing following a transatlantic flight.

Not having your own equipment puts a pole vaulter at a serious disadvantage, but Peake overcame that and a Hampden Park downpour to win Wales’ only track and field medal in Glasgow.

“The pressure that night was huge,” Peake said.

“I was on the last night and I was obviously aware Wales did not have a medal of any kind in athletics.

“It was a bit of a shambles really because I was not used to the poles and the lengths and materials are all different.

“You also change them two or three times as the bar gets higher, so it becomes very difficult. I definitely wouldn’t want to go through that again.”

Peake cleared 4.25 metres to finish second behind Australia’s Alana Boyd in Glasgow.

Boyd retired after finishing fourth at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. But New Zealand’s Rio bronze medallist Eliza McCartney and England’s Holly Bradshaw present formidable competition this time around.

Bradshaw is the current British record holder with a vault of 4.81 metres and finished fifth in Rio.

“The competition is a very high level,” said Peake, who vaulted a season-best of 4.30 metres in Queensland last week.

“I actually train with Holly and there will also be some stiff competition from Canada and New Zealand. But I will focus on what I can do and see where my best on the day puts me.”

As the youngest member of the Welsh hockey squad, Izzie Howell will earn her first international cap at this year’s Games.

A pupil at King’s School in Chester, the 18-year-old began her playing career with Wrexham and admits she is daunted by the prospect of starting her senior career on such a big stage.

She said: “Although slightly terrified I’m also really excited about this opportunity and to be able to gain this type of experience.”

A powerhouse and established regular of the Welsh team, Wrexham’s Xenna Hughes will be appearing at her second Games.

Xenna is the daughter of Manchester United and Wales legend Mark Hughes, and she surpassed her father’s tally of 72 Welsh caps while playing in last year’s European Championships in Cardiff.

Of her father, she said: “He and my Mum have been incredibly supportive.

“It’s great that he has been in the same situation as me and knows just how much dedication it takes to get to this standard. Every other day he tells me how proud he is of me. It’s got to the point where I have to tell him to stop.”

North east Wales will also be well represented in the Welsh netball side, where Holywell’s Fern Davies and Mold’s Nia Jones will both feature.

Davies started playing in her hometown at the age of eight and has since gained 20 senior Welsh caps.

Jones turned out for the Welsh side in the 2014 Games, an experience she called ‘magical’.

She said: “Of all my caps, matches, competitions, trips and experiences in netball,, Glasgow 2014 was by far the most magical moment. It is the pinnacle of our sport and an opportunity to showcase our amazing sport on the world stage against the best athletes in prime shape and form.”

The Celtic Dragons pair will be joined by Suzy Drane who was born in St Asaph and played for Chester early in her career.

Drane will captain the Welsh side in their campaign on the Gold Coast, which begins on Friday as they take on New Zealand.

Just 24 hours later and Wales take on Scotland, before a third Pool fixture on Monday against England. It's an encounter with Uganda on Tuesday before the Pool matches conclude against Malawi on Wednesday.

"To be informed you've been selected to not only wear the dress of your country, but also join up with numerous athletes from a variety of sports to represent Team Wales is just really fantastic," Drane said.

"I think we showed at the [2015] Netball World Cup in Sydney, we did fantastically well out there and we're looking to regain that spark.

"I hope no one writes us off because we deserve to be out there. We'll be working hard in the next five weeks to make sure we do ourselves and our country proud."