Despite Great Britain fielding their smallest Olympics team for twenty eight years, Wales will still be well represented at next month's games.

Team GB will consist of 271 members in Athens in August, the lowest since the Montreal Olympics in 1976. However, despite this figure Wales will have more Olympians at this year's games than in Sydney four years ago.

In total 16 Welshmen and women will travel to Athens, one more than the number who travelled to Sydney . Fourteen of the 16 members are part of the Sports Council for Wales' Elite Cymru Scheme and Director of National Development for the scheme, Graham Davies, is understandably delighted.

He said: "This is a great achievement. Sixteen men and women from Wales will have the opportunity to excel on the world stage.

"It is one of our biggest Olympic contingents and it's particularly pleasing because qualifying standards are tougher than ever before and selection is more competitive."

Welsh legend and UK Athletics president Lynn Davies echoed his sentiments.

He said: "I think we have the potential to do well in Athens but the margins are tiny between gold, silver and bronze.

"If you make the Olympic team you are achieving what the majority of the population cannot do and if you win a medal with 200 nations breathing down you neck it's a hell of an achievement."

With Triathlete Marc Jenkins on stand-by, Wales' number in Athens could rise further. Wales are also well represented in the Paralympic Games with 24 in the GB team and one on reserve.

OLYMPIC GAMES (16 + 1 reserve): Tim Benjamin, athletics, Vale of Glamorgan. Michaela Breeze, weightlifting, Cardiff/Devon. Justin Chaston, athletics, Cardiff. Nicole Cooke, cycling, Vale. Simon Cottle, rowing, Sealand Nr Chester. David Davies, swimming, Vale. Matt Elias, athletics, Cardiff. Tom James, rowing, Wrexham (Cardiff born). Christian Malcolm, athletics, Newport, Kelly Morgan, badminton, Cardiff/RCT. Catherine Murphy, athletics, Wales. Tracey Morris, marathon, Holyhead. Philippa Roles, athletics, Neath. Hayley Tullet, athletics, Swansea. Richard Vaughan, badminton. Cardiff/Caerphilly, Julian Winn. cycling, Abergavenny Reserve: Marc Jenkins, triathlon, Bridgend Coach: Zhou Junling, badminton, Cardiff

PARALYMPIC GAMES (24 + 1 reserve): Emma Brown, powerlifting - RCT. Gareth Duke, swimming - Torfaen. Tanni Grey Thompson, athletics - Cardiff. Rhiannon Henry, swimming - Bridgend. Tracey Hinton, athletics - Cardiff. Steffan Hughes, athletics - Ceredigion (guide runner). Ellen Hunter, cycling. Wrexham. Paul Hunter, cycling Wrexham. Maxine Ingram, judo - Carmarthenshire. Liz Johnson, swimming - Newport. Beverley Jones, athletics - Flintshire. Nyree Lewis, swimming - RCT. Caroline Matthews, basketball - Cardiff. David Roberts, swimming - RCT. Jason Roberts, wheelchair rugby, Wrexham. Scott Robertson, table tennis - Flintshire. Neil Robinson, table tennis - Bridgend. Julie Salmon, powerlifting - RCT. Clare Strange, basketball - Newport. Stephen Thomas, sailing (Sonar) - Bridgend. Nicola Tustain, equestrian - Corwen, Denbighshire. Lloyd Upsdell, athletics - Cardiff/Essex. Andrew Williams, athletics - Flintshire. Claire Williams, athletics - Carmarthenshire. Reserve: Anna Jackson, basketball, Denbigh.Coach: Steve Ward, table tennis, Newport.