TASS

Cardiff Met’s Head of Strength and Conditioning, Dai Watts, has been shortlisted for the TASS Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year award for 2026. Dai is one of three practitioners named on the national shortlist, alongside Max Honigsbaum and Sam Millard, following a nomination process that received more than 100 submissions from across the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme network. The winners will be announced at the TASS Conference 2026, which takes place at North

Fourteen-year-old skateboarder Jowan Joyce-Richards announced himself as one of Wales’ most exciting young talents after winning gold in the Best Trick category at the 2026 Skateboard GB Welsh Park & Street Open . The event took place on 17–18 January 2026 at Spit & Sawdust Skatepark in Cardiff and marked the first major regional skateboarding competition of the year. Featuring both park and street disciplines and a £4,000 prize pool , the Welsh Open attracted competitors

Badminton athlete Harper Leigh has been crowned Welsh Senior National Champion , securing his first senior national title at the Welsh Senior Nationals on 1 February 2026 . Leigh, who competes in full-time badminton and is supported through the TASS programme in partnership with Badminton Wales , has been training in strength and conditioning at Cardiff Metropolitan University since December 2023 . His preparation has been overseen by Dai Watts , with Leigh consistently d

Welsh boxer Taylor Bevan continues his rapid rise in the professional ranks, maintaining a flawless 7–0 record since turning professional in October 2024 , while preparing to return to the amateur scene for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow . Bevan, who trains at Cardiff Metropolitan University, with the TASS Team has completed all of his strength and conditioning work at the university’s Athlete Performance Centre (APC) under the guidance of Dai Watts , training thr