A trip of a lifetime awaits a Year 13 student from Tenby after she was selected to become a volunteer for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.

Seventeen-year-old Tegan Foley, together with her father Luke, will make up part of the 15,000 strong army of volunteers needed to help the games run smoothly.

The pair will fly out ahead of the Games being held on Australia’s Gold Coast (GC2018) between April 4- 18, after being selected from 47,000 applicants.

Tegan is a Field of Play team member and Luke is a Warm-up team member in the Carrara Stadium.

The stadium will play a central role in the Games, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies and all athletics events.

Athletics runs in the blood for the pair. Both are active members of the Pembrokeshire Harriers, with Tegan competing for the Under 20 Women (U20W) in the 100, 200 and 400 metre events, while Luke coaches long jump and officiates for the club.

Known as ‘Game Shapers’, the experience of becoming a volunteer at the games will be a new one for them both, although Tegan is no stranger to high level sport.

She’s represented West Wales at the Under 20 category despite having another three years left at that age group and in August 2017 she reaped the rewards of her commitment with her first ever individual Welsh Championship medals in Wrexham.

Tegan came first in the U20W 60m sprint in the West Wales Championships, winning a gold medal, and earned a silver medal in the U20W 100m at the Welsh Schools Championships last year.

“Naturally we are both looking forward to it,” said Luke, a leisure attendant and lifeguard at Tenby Leisure Centre, “and hopefully some of what we experience and see at the Games we’ll be able to bring back to athletics in Pembrokeshire.

“I’m pleased to be going, but delighted for Tegan.

“She’ll be one of the youngest volunteers at the Games and it reflects the enthusiasm, hard work and dedication she has put in to volunteering at local sports events, including Ironman Wales, the Long Course Weekend and local triathlons.

“She certainly deserves this opportunity.”

Caption

Australia bound, Luke and Tegan Foley beat off 32,000 competitors to be named as volunteers or ‘Game Shapers’ for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games being held in Queensland, Australia in April.