A bolt from the blue as Welsh boxers go for gold
Welsh boxing enjoyed a successful afternoon in Glasgow as Rosie Eccles, Owain Harris-Allan and Orlando Holley-Sotomi reached the Commonwealth Games semi-finals, joining Connor Williams in securing at least bronze medals. Their progress gives Wales four chances to upgrade their medals to gold, with the finals due the following day.
Holley-Sotomi produced the standout moment, stopping Lesotho’s Refiloe Thai with a powerful right hand and left hook in the quarter-finals. Defending women’s 70kg champion Eccles stopped Samukelisiwe Sinothile Ncube and will face India’s Arundhati Choudhary, while lightweight Harris-Allan beat Scotland’s Nick Devlin on points before setting up a bout with India’s Sachin Sachin. Eccles, 30, has said these will be her final Games and is seeking a second successive Commonwealth gold; Harris-Allan is aiming to improve on his Birmingham 2022 bronze.
- Four Welsh boxers have guaranteed Commonwealth Games medals.
- Holley-Sotomi won with a dramatic quarter-final stoppage.
- Eccles and Harris-Allan face Indian opponents in the semi-finals.
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The Commonwealth Games is a major international sporting competition held every four years, bringing together athletes from countries across the Commonwealth. The 2026 Games are taking place in Glasgow and include boxing among its sports.
Rosie Eccles, 30, is the defending champion in the women's 70kg weight class at these Games. Owain Harris-Allan previously won a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and is competing in the lightweight division. Both boxers, along with Orlando Holley-Sotomi and Connor Williams, compete for Wales.
The Commonwealth Games carry significant prestige for athletes and their nations as a major international sporting event. Eccles has stated this will be her final appearance at the Games, while Harris-Allan comes with previous medal-winning experience from the 2022 edition.