Latest news with #Williams.
BBC News
08-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Williams reflects on career as landmark 75th win looms
Isabel Williams believes her next winner of the jump season will confirm her conviction she was right to pursue horse racing despite its 27 years of age Williams is already Wales' leading female jockey. Now she needs one more triumph to ride out her claim and become a fully-fledged professional.A claim is a sliding-scale weight advantage for a horse ridden by a relatively inexperienced jockey. Once a conditional jockey has 75 career winners, they lose their claim and join the ranks of the of Llancarfan in the Vale of Glamorgan, has 74 winners and is eagerly awaiting her next most recent win was at Doncaster on 1 March, riding Patriotik to victory in a three-mile hurdle."As the 75th creeps closer and you have another winner and another winner, all you want is more," says Williams."I've got one more win to ride out my claim and I suppose that's quite a big thing to do. I don't know the exact percentage of jockeys who get their licence and go on to ride out their claim, but I think it's pretty small."Recent statistics have put the conversion figure from starting out as a conditional jockey to becoming a full, elite professional at between only 10 and 15%.Reasons for jockeys quitting before gaining 75 winners include the demands of making the weight and the risks of sustaining serious the daughter of leading Welsh trainer Evan Williams, began riding ponies aged five and says the worst injury she has suffered in 658 career races was a fractured cheekbone."It wasn't even during the race, it was cantering up to the start and the horse decided he wanted to go faster than I wanted him to," she says."That was really sore, but other than that I've had no really serious injuries, touch wood."The issue of rider safety in racing returned to the fore when 24-year-old Michael O'Sullivan, a Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey, died after injuries sustained in a fall at Thurles on 6 February."What happened to Michael O'Sullivan was heart-breaking – for his family, obviously, but also for everyone in racing because it touches everyone in a close-knit community," says Williams."And the reality is it can happen to anybody. But I suppose you can't think like that. You have to live your own life and do what you want to do."If you thought about the risks involved in anything, then you might never get in a car in the morning, or get on a plane to go on holiday. Yes, the sport is dangerous, but it is also made as safe as it can be." Horse racing is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete against each other and according to British Horseracing Authority (BHA) figures, the percentage of all rides given to female jockeys increased from 5% to almost 10% between 2010 and the weekend on which International Women's Day is marked, 8 March, Williams believes horse racing has become more open and accessible to women wanting to compete at the top."I do enjoy being able to take on both men and women on a level playing field. It's one of the great things about our sport," she says."You feel like if you win, it's because you rode well. It's not about who you are or where you are from. It's an even race."I have never experienced any issues or barriers as a female jockey. People want you to do well, it's a supportive community, and racing is something I am really proud to be involved with." Wales' point-to-point decline Williams – whose younger sister Ellie, 25, is a successful amateur jockey – does have one concern, that the decline in point-to-point racing in Wales may restrict opportunities for young female riders in the Williams sisters began racing in point-to-point events and Isabel says: "The only thing I worry about for young girls is that when I started there was a big community of people doing point-to-point racing."That was a great entry point for young amateur riders because at most meetings there would be a race just for women and so girls had lots of chances to get a ride."But since Covid, point-to-point racing has declined and so that is problem."Cheltenham Festival starts on Tuesday, 11 March, but Williams currently has no booked rides at the meeting, although she has won races at Cheltenham outside of the festival."It's our FA Cup final, our Wimbledon, a real spectacle where everyone wants to watch the best horses in the most competitive races."I won on Bold Plan at Cheltenham in an April meeting, so it's definitely a big ambition to ride and win at the festival."That and the Grand National, that would be the pinnacle."
BBC News
21-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Farnborough leisure centre plan given green light
Plans for a new leisure centre have been given the green light by central Borough Council was previously awarded £20m of Levelling Up funding for a planned leisure centre in Farnborough, but was unsure whether this money could still be used after the scheme had to be at the start of February ministers gave permission, and councillors voted to adopt the new scheme on 11 Williams, leader of Rushmoor Council, said the leisure centre was an "absolute priority" and would help improve health in the borough. "We know from the conversations we have had with residents that a new leisure centre is an absolute priority and that they want their children to learn to swim and keep active," he said."We also need to improve opportunities for all residents to keep fit, and that is what we are delivering."The leisure centre is set to include a 25m (82ft) swimming pool, a learner pool, a gym, three fitness studios, a toddler play area, a cafe, and a wellness hub to help people less mobile to do low-impact leisure centre would be built on the current Queensmead surface car park, with the existing leisure centre site handed over for new homes."This is a much-needed facility for the town," said Mr Williams."Our aim is to put in for planning permission in the autumn, after we've consulted with residents, and then we plan to start building early next year." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
09-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Looking beyond this season would be 'naive'
Luke Williams says it would be "naive" of Swansea City to look beyond the current campaign as they bid to halt their alarming run of poor Swans had been within striking distance of the Championship play-off places following back-to-back wins against Queens Park Rangers and Luton Town after they have plummeted to 17th in the table and are now just six points above the bottom three having picked up only one point from the last 18 on Williams says his side's recent results have ensured the club has forgotten the "positive feelings" they had earlier on in the campaign."What we have got to do is get the group supported and in the best place to play as well as they possibly can," explained Williams."We know this group of players can win enough games but looking further than that in terms of this season would just be naive of us."People want to see that we are going in the right direction. At times this season it has felt like that."Then we have had a bad run, we have lost the captain and the window hasn't gone the way [we wanted it to]."Then people, me included, forget a lot of the positive feelings and performances we had."Bristol City have earned 16 of the 18 points on offer from their past six league matches at Ashton Gate and sit on the cusp of the top six going into the contest with Swansea."They are a good team. We had a really tough game against them earlier in the season, with two teams who were quite evenly matched," added Williams."They will be well supported, a good atmosphere, but our players want to play. They have to make a performance if we are going to have a chance in this game."
BBC News
28-01-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Williams back on track to join Wales 100-cap club
Men's Six Nations: France v WalesVenue: Stade de France Date: Friday, 31 January Kick-off: 20:15 GMTCoverage: Listen live on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC 5 Live; text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app; watch on S4C. Full-back Liam Williams hopes to resume his quest to become the 10th member of the 100 Wales cap club by lining up against France in Paris this 33, is set to play his 93rd Wales international and has also featured in five British and Irish Lions Saracens back can reach a century of international appearances during this year's Six Nations tournament but has set his sights on reaching three figures solely for his would join Alun Wyn Jones, Gethin Jenkins, George North, Dan Biggar, Taulupe Faletau, Stephen Jones, Martyn Williams, Leigh Halfpenny and Gareth Thomas."My aim is to get 100 caps for Wales, and if that happens it is the icing on the cake," said Williams."If it doesn't, then it doesn't, and that is just the way it is. But that is my aim." Senior statesman Williams is a senior statesman among the Wales backs, returning to Six Nations action after missing last year's tournament while he had a stint in Japanese rugby with Kubota is now in his second spell with Gallagher Premiership club Saracens after returning from is cautious about his chances of reaching the 2027 World Cup believing it "might be a bit too far".While he is enjoying mentoring some of Wales' young and inexperienced players, Williams feels he still has plenty to offer on the pitch."I have been speaking to Gats. We spoke post-Australia (Wales' 2023 summer tour) what the plans are for the next couple of years," said Williams"I am just happy to be here, and hopefully I can add something to the team, depending on whether I am picked, try and add something extra and win with the boys." French globetrotters A number of Wales' current squad would have been in primary school when Williams made his Wales debut in 2012, highlighting his longevity and consistency of performance at the highest level."I am speaking with these guys, not always about rugby stuff, but off-field stuff as well," said Williams."And I have told them that if they have any questions and would like to chat about anything, I am here and happy to chat."Wales are massive underdogs with Williams labelling the French side as "globetrotters" who like "throwing the ball about"."As you've seen with the French clubs in the Champions Cup they've been going really well, but it's down to us to try to stop that," said Williams."They have been one of the world's best teams in the last few years, so it's a massive start for us. "We will do everything that can be done this week to get our own house in order and we are looking forward to it."
