THE proposed Wales 2014 Commonwealth Games bid - to be jointly hosted by Newport, Cardiff and Swansea - has received a ringing endorsement from some of the top sporting personalties in Gwent.

Newport triathlete Anneliese Heard (pictured), currently in training for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in March, believes that the event would be of benefit to the whole country.

"If it is true that Wales is trying to get the Commonwealth Games then it would be fantastic, something I would support wholeheartedly," she said.

"The key thing is that if you combine the best of Newport, Cardiff and Swansea in terms of sporting venues, then we certainly have all the facilities you could ask for, we would definitely be well equipped to do it.

"I think the Welsh public would really embrace the idea as well, a lot of hard work has gone into promoting sport here in the past few years and I think the public would be 100 per cent behind the proposal.

"The nice thing about it is that if the reports are true, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea would all be used, which would give the Commonwealth Games a real taste of Wales, rather than it just being in one place."

Triple Olympic gold medal winning showjumper Matt Ryan, who hails from Sydney but lives and trains in Abergavenny, backed that view, voicing his belief that staging the Commonwealth Games is an opportunity Wales should try and grab with both hands.

He explained: "The legacy of the Olympics in Sydney, my home territory, is incredible and to recreate that in Wales would be truly special.

"It would be a huge draw for tourists and provides the ultimate inspiration to local athletes, the Commonwealth Games is an event that captures the public's imagination."

Jock Anderson, coach to Newport sprint star Christian Malcolm, believes that he and track stars like Malcolm and Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell would be delighted to offer support to the bid.

"It would be brilliant for Wales to get the Commonwealth Games and a great opportunity for the athletes of tomorrow," he said.

"Guys like Christian and Darren, who won't still be competing in eight years, would certainly be keen to support a Welsh bid, it would create a real legacy for the country."