Tom Jones's grandson picked for Commonwealth Games team
The grandson of legendary singer Tom Jones has been selected to represent Wales in the Commonwealth Games, it emerged today.
Alex Woodward, 22, will compete as a full bore rifle shooter at the Melbourne games in March, the Sports Council for Wales confirmed.
Woodward told the Western Mail how his grandfather, who hails from Pontypridd in south Wales, helped to ignite his passion.
The sportsman, who spent his early childhood in Los Angeles but is now based in London’s West End, told the newspaper: “My grandad had a home near Cowbridge (in south Wales) and he had air rifles there.
“I think I used to shoot little pieces of paper or something.
“It’s quite possible that he was the first person to show me how to use a gun, though both my dad and my uncle did as well.
“I’ve always been close to my grandad. We’re a small family as my dad’s the only child and we used to go over to his house all the time when we were all living in LA.”
Woodward, who said he “always felt Welsh“, has qualified for the individual event in Melbourne, where he will also pair in the doubles with team mate Gareth Morris.
Speaking about whether his famous grandfather will be supporting him in person in Melbourne, Woodward said he is a “busy man so I don’t know if he could make it halfway round the world“.
He added: “He’s never seen me shoot competitively but he loves his sport, especially rugby.
“He loves going to the games and watching it on television whenever he can. But my entire family are very supportive. My grandfather’s very happy that I’m going to the Games.
“But he’s definitely more proud of the fact that it’s for Wales than anything else. He just said to me: ’Good boy, shooting for Wales’.”
