Wales Teams Deliver Strong Performances at Commonwealth Games 3×3 Qualifier
Wales Senior teams produced a series of impressive performances at the Commonwealth Games 3×3 Qualifier, competing against England, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man in pursuit of a place at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The Women’s team enjoyed an excellent tournament, finishing as runners-up after reaching the final. Carys Roy, Eleanor Bishop, Isobel Bunyan and Tia Freeman opened their campaign with a convincing 21-11 victory over Northern Ireland before defeating the Isle of Man 21-4 to secure their place in the championship game.
In the final, Wales faced a strong England side and, despite a determined effort, were defeated 21-11 to claim a well-earned second-place finish.
The Welsh men’s team, represented by Jake Kinder, Alex Koukouravas, Rhys Farrell and Johnny McKew, battled through a challenging schedule to secure third place overall. Wales suffered a 22-14 defeat to Northern Ireland in their opening fixture before facing eventual champions England, who recorded a 21-8 victory. The men responded strongly in their final match, defeating the Isle of Man 22-10 to finish the tournament on a high and claim a place on the podium.
Results
Men
- Northern Ireland 22–14 Wales
- England 21–8 Wales
- Wales 22–10 Isle of Man
Women
- Wales 21–11 Northern Ireland
- England 21–7 Wales
- Wales 21–4 Isle of Man
- England 21–11 Wales (Final)
England’s men’s and women’s teams both finished first, securing qualification for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. The 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball competitions are scheduled to begin on Friday, 24 July.
Basketball Wales 3×3 Performance Leads Stefan Rosier and Beth Jones praised the efforts of the players and staff following the conclusion of the qualifier.
“We’re incredibly proud of the commitment and effort shown by all of our athletes throughout the qualifier. Both teams embraced the challenge of competing against strong opposition and represented Wales with professionalism, determination, and pride throughout the tournament. The results are positive indicators of the progress being made within the Basketball Wales 3×3 programme and reflect the hard work that players and staff have invested over a sustained period.
Events like this are vital as we continue to build our pathway and create opportunities for players to gain valuable international experience. The experience gained by both players and staff will be invaluable as we look to strengthen the programme further and continue creating opportunities for future generations of Welsh 3×3 athletes.”
With valuable international experience gained and a strong core of players established across both teams, attention now turns to the next phase of the programme as Basketball Wales continues to strengthen its 3×3 pathway and create opportunities for future success on the international stage.
Re-watch the live games via the link below
