For many, October is a time of year associated with spooks and scares. But for Welsh sports fans, it has been a month more filled with golds than ghouls, after Cymru athletes lit up international tournaments in an impressively wide array of disciplines.
The great month of sporting success began with the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships, which took place in New Delhi, India.
The tournament, which welcomed para-athletes from 100 nations to compete in over 150 events, saw impressive victories for two Welsh icons in the shot put. Sabrina Fortune broke her own world record (set at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris) en route to winning her fourth consecutive world title, while Aled Sion Davies secured an incredible seventh consecutive shot put title in the men’s event.
Sticking with para-sports, there was also a podium-top finish for Welsh surfer Llywelyn “Sponge” Williams at the 2025 European Para Surfing Championships in Vigo, Spain. Llywelyn became European champion after a close-fought final, continuing his run of dominance on the international surf circuit.
The latter stages of October brought not only more Welsh success stories, but also a moment of Welsh sporting history, as Ruby Evans won a silver medal at the 2025 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. Her podium finish for the "floor" event meant Ruby became the first Welsh gymnast in history to win an individual World Championships medal.
During the same period, up-and-coming tennis star Mimi Xu wowed the crowds at the Wrexham Open tournament in North Wales, winning both the women’s singles title and doubles title (along with partner Ella McDonald) in a single day!
Finally, October also reinforced Wales’ pedigree for producing top-class cyclists, with a string of amazing results for Welsh riders at the Track Cycling World Championships. Held at the Santiago Velodrome in Chile, the competition saw gold medal finishes for Josh Tarling (who, at 21, was making his debut at the annual competition), in the men’s points race, and Anna Morris, in the individual pursuit. At the same tournament, Emma Finucane also came away with a silver medal in the keirin event (an indoor sprint race).
Such a haul of world titles and medals during the month of October demonstrates the remarkable depth of sporting talent in Wales we have at the moment. Some might even call it frightening.
Learn more about the sports we love in Wales.