By Gary Anderson

Michaela Breeze will be looking to secure a sixth Commonwealth Games medal in Glasgow this year ©AFP/Getty ImagesDouble Commonwealth Games gold medallist Michaela Breeze has been named as part of a seven-strong Wales weightlifting team for Glasgow 2014 as she goes in search of a sixth medal at the Games after coming out of retirement.

Breeze won gold and silver medals at both Manchester 2002 and Melbourne 2006 as well as adding another silver at Delhi 2010, before announcing her retirement from the sport.

However, the 35-year-old, who became the first ever British women to compete in an Olympic weightlifting competition at Athens 2004, returned to competitive action last year and will once again lead the Welsh weightlifting challenge at this year's Games in Glasgow.

Breeze will be joined in the 58 kilogram category by Christie Williams, who along with Faye Pitman and Stephanie Owens in the 63kg category, will be making her first appearance at a Commonwealth Games this summer.

Natasha Perdue will compete in the same category and completes the women's line-up as she gets set to take part in her third Games following on from Melbourne and Delhi.

On the men's side, making his second Games appearance, London 2012 Olympian Gareth Evans will be the main medal hope in the 62kg class and he is joined by 20 year-old Darius Jokarzadeh, who has returned from playing American football in Pennsylvania for the past 18 months to compete for Wales in Glasgow.

London 2012 Olympian Gareth Evans is one of two men who will represent Wales in weightlifting at Glasgow 2014 ©Getty ImagesLondon 2012 Olympian Gareth Evans is one of two men who will represent Wales in weightlifting at Glasgow 2014 ©Getty Images



"Weightlifting holds a rich history for Wales at the Commonwealth Games," said chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Council for Wales, Chris Jenkins.

"Historically the sport has returned with medals and we're confident that with such a strong squad of lifters, and with the inclusion of multi-medallist Michaela Breeze, we will see that continue."

Weightlifting has provided Wales with its most successful ever athlete at a Commonwealth Games in the form of David Morgan, who won nine gold and six silver medals across six Games from 1982 to 2002.

In total, Wales has claimed 50 weightlifting medals since the sport first appeared on the Commonwealth Games programme in Auckland in 1950.

The weightlifting competition at Glasgow 2014 will take place at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre during the Games, which run from July 23 to August 3.

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