11-year-old named to represent Wales at Commonwealth Games

11-year-old Anna Hursey (second from right) will represent Wales at the Commonwealth Games in April. Photo / Twitter.

An 11-year-old has been named in the Welsh squad for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Australia.

At the age of 11 years and 286 days, Anna Hursey will become the youngest person to represent Wales at the Games when she takes part in the opening ceremony on Queensland's Gold Coast.

Having taken up the sport as a hobby at the age of five, the youngster first represented her country at the age of ten, when she became the youngest person to play for Wales' senior table tennis team at the European Championship.

It started as a hobby at the age of 5...

But now 11-year-old Anna Hursey is going to the Commonwealth Games! 👏 https://t.co/PjPQnRyGgd pic.twitter.com/w1NRcEu8iv

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 24, 2018

"Sometimes you can't believe how many people are going to be there and if the Queen was there, that would be a dream," Hursey told the BBC.

"I feel proud of myself but I don't feel that nervous - when I am there I probably will be.

"I think I have a really good mindset, you can't give up when you are losing or you won't get better.

"Sometimes I go to the gym and practise hard, and sometimes I miss school for competitions.

"I am going - and that's really good - but hopefully I can show some people that I'm good at this sport and not just going there to have fun."

Hursey will not be the only schoolkid to represent Wales in Australia in three months' time, with 15-year-old diver Aidan Heslop named as the first Welsh diver to attend the quadrennial tournament in 20 years.