Welsh sport in 2023: A year in review

It has been a year of change in Welsh sport and while our national teams may have wobbled - individually our stars continue to shine.

New sporting heroes emerged on the athletics and cycling tracks as well as in the pool and ring, while a few old heads continued to roll back the years.

But it was also a year marked by the retirements of a catalogue of Wales' biggest sports figures.

Welsh rugby bordered on civil war but little could halt Wrexham FC's revival.

Managers came and left as the rest of Welsh football battled for survival, while our men's and women's national sides experienced both dramatic highs and lows.

Emma Finucane, Matt Richards and Joe Cordina became world champions while Mark Williams and Geraint Thomas proved there is still plenty of life in the veterans of their sports.

There were World Cups for our rugby, netball and hockey players while women's sports experienced a remarkable rise in attendances with record crowds in rugby and football.

And we bade farewell to several heroes of the past, including Charlie Faulkner, Brian Price, Dai Watkins and Clive Rowlands.

So let's look back at Welsh sport through 2023.

The new year brings departures and arrivals in Welsh sport, beginning with the biggest name of all as Gareth Bale announces his immediate retirement from football.

It is the moment Welsh football has been dreading as the five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, Bale hangs up his boots at the age of 33 as his nation's record cap-holder (111) and goal-scorer (41).

Cardiff City sack Mark Hudson and appoint former Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi, who will save the Bluebirds from relegation but not his own job.

Rugby celebrates the 50th anniversary of Barbarians' victory over New Zealand and 'that try' by Gareth Edwards.

However the game in Wales is rocked by allegations of sexism and misogyny in a BBC documentary.

The scandal will plague the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) all year, leading to chief executive Steve Phillips resigning and a radical overhaul of the governing body's board.

Ospreys shock English champions Leicester as - for the first time - all four Welsh regions progress to the knock-out stages of Europe, though little can compare to the cup heroics of Wrexham.

Hollywood owner Ryan Reynolds is among those who see them knock Coventry City out of the FA Cup and come within seconds of dumping out Championship high-flyers Sheffield United.

James Carson writes his name in hockey history by scoring Wales' first goal at a World Cup while Laura Deas wins silver at the Skeleton World Championships in St Moritz.

Sprint cyclist Emma Finucane signals her potential with four golds at the British Championships, while athletics mourns the death of Anthony Hughes, the driving force behind some of Wales' most successful Para-athletes, aged 63.

Warren Gatland's return cannot prevent Wales making their worst start to a Six Nations since 2007 with their heaviest home loss to Ireland in 22 years and a record defeat to Scotland.

The loss to England is overshadowed by the threat of strike action before the game by players over the financial instability in the game.

There is better news on the track as cyclist Elinor Barker wins European Madison gold and para-athlete Aled Sion Davies breaks his own world indoor shot put record.

Joe Allen retires from international football and rugby loses one of its most colourful characters as Charlie Faulkner dies aged 81.

Women's rugby and football both see record crowds. Nearly 5,000 watch Wales beat Ireland in the opening Six Nations game at Cardiff Arms Park, a record that will be smashed in April's game against England, in front of almost 9,000 fans.

A crowd of 9,500 then watch Wrexham lift the Genero Adran North title at The Racecourse.

Cardiff Met retain the Genero Adran Trophy, beating Cardiff City in Bridgend 3-1 in a repeat of last year's final.

Menna Fitzpatrick becomes GB's most decorated winter Paralympian with a seventh World Cup and World Championship medal, while newly-crowned British indoor 3,000m champion Melissa Courtney-Bryant adds European bronze and cyclist Elinor Barker wins two European track golds.

Wales finish the Six Nations with just a solitary victory in Italy, while Taulupe Faletau wins his 100th cap in the final defeat against France.

Wales Under-20s head coach Byron Hayward resigns after a whitewash.

Another centurion, football's Chris Gunter, retires as does Jonny Williams, record goal-scorer Helen Ward and Wales' most capped sportsperson, hockey Olympian Leah Wilkinson, after 204 games for her country.

Ex-Cardiff RFC chairman Peter Thomas dies aged 79. Olympic gymnast Denise Middleton (nee Goddard), and former GB rugby league international David Willicombe, die aged 72.

Joe Cordina reclaims the IBF world super-featherweight title with a split decision win over Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in Cardiff.

Wales Women beat Italy to clinch their best Six Nations finish in 14 years and an historic high of sixth place in the world rankings.

Scarlets' impressive European Challenge Cup run is ended by Glasgow in the semi-final while Cardiff win the WRU Premiership Final.

Swimmer Daniel Jervis becomes double British champion at both 800m and 1500m freestyle and Matt Richards sets a Welsh record in the 50m.

Gerwyn Price is the first darts player of the season to win four nights in the Premier League beating Michael Smith 6-3 in the Brighton final.

In football, The New Saints and Cardiff City Women complete their respective domestic doubles.

Paul Mullin is the hero as Wrexham seal the National League title and a return to the Football League after a 15-year absence in front of 10,000 fans.

Wrexham concede to Boreham Wood after 43 seconds, but Mullin scores twice in a 3-1 win that sparks a joyous pitch invasion and later a bus parade through the town.

Celtic Dragons, bottom of netball's Super League, part company with head coach Danielle Titmuss-Morris and appoint former Australia coach Jill McIntosh.

Kitty's Light, trained by Christian Williams, becomes only the second horse to win both the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown and Scottish Grand National in the space of a week.

However Dream Alliance, winner of the 2009 Welsh Grand National, and star of the 2020 film Dream Horse, dies at the age of 22.

Rugby players Josh Navidi and Caryl Thomas as well as GB ice-hockey star Jonathan Phillips retire and former Newport benefactor Tony Brown dies, aged 86.

Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric announce their shock retirements from international rugby four months before the World Cup, followed swiftly by Rhys Webb.

Jones, 37, who later reveals he has been diagnosed with a heart condition, is world rugby's record cap holder after 170 Tests for Wales and the British & Irish Lions and won five Six Nations titles, while Tipuric won four.

At the same age as Jones, Geraint Thomas is left "devastated" after his hopes of becoming the oldest winner of the Giro d'Italia are dashed on the penultimate day.

Thomas spends eight days in the maglia rosa but is overhauled by Primoz Roglic in the time trial and finishes second by just 14 seconds.

Jade Jones is beaten in the quarter finals of taekwondo's World Championships but boxer Lauren Price wins the inaugural British female welterweight championship in only her fourth professional fight. Flyweight Jay Harris emulates his father by becoming British champion.

Wales captain Sophie Ingle is part of the Chelsea team that wins a third successive double in front of 77,390 at Wembley.

However days later at the same venue, Wales' Tom Lockyer is taken to hospital after collapsing during Luton Town's Championship play-off final. He recovers and is cleared to kick off the Hatters' first season in the top flight for 31 years but suffers a cardiac arrest on the pitch in December.

Wales bow out of their first appearance at the Under-17s European Championships with a 3-0 win over Poland and Llandovery win the Welsh Premiership title for the first time.

Welsh sport bid farewell to former athlete John Lister MBE, aged 81, Olympic shot putter Shaun Pickering, 61, and Glamorgan cricketer Lawrence Williams, 76.

Cardiff and Swansea both appoint new managers but only one will still be there at the end of the year.

Ex-Fenerbahce boss Erol Bulut takes over the Bluebirds while former Northern Ireland defender Michael Duff gets the Swans job - only to be fired in December.

Wales manager Robert Page is also under pressure as their promising start to the Euro 2024 qualifiers is derailed with losses to Armenia and Turkey.

Jade Jones follows victory over world champion Nahid Kiyanichandeh at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Rome with European Games gold in Krakow, where boxer Rosie Eccles also clinches Olympic qualification.

Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton win the PDC World Cup of Darts for a second time and former world triathlon champion Non Stanford is among those recognised in the King's birthday honours list.

Josh Tarling, 19, becomes the youngest British men's time-trial champion while Megan Barker wins the women's circuit race in a photo finish. Tarling will go on to win the European title and a shock world bronze in a remarkable summer.

Golfer Stuart Manley claims his fourth European Challenge Tour title - the Open de Bretagne - with a 15-foot birdie putt.

Former Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap retires from rugby while Lewis Prosser, 34, also finishes as Wales' most capped (180) men's hockey player.

Former Swansea City manager John Hollins dies, aged 76.

Wales' athletes and swimmers set records tumbling during a golden month.

At the World Aquatics Championships in Japan, Matt Richards beats the Olympic champion to win 200m freestyle gold and breaks the British record three times on his way to fifth in the 100m before winning a second gold with the 4 x 200m relay team.

Melissa Courtney-Bryant breaks Hayley Tullet's 20-year Welsh record for the 1500m (3:58:01), before setting another record for the mile in Monaco.

Jeremiah Azu breaks an even older mark, Christian Malcolm's 100m time set in 2001 with 10.05 seconds on his way to European U23 100m gold.

Pembrokeshire Harriers' Heather Warner becomes British 5km walk champion with Bethan Davies of Cardiff second.

Aled Sion Davies wins a remarkable fifth world title in F63 shot put, while Sabrina Fortune (T20 shot) and Hollie Arnold (F46 javelin) also win gold in Paris and 18-year-old Michael Jenkins takes (F38 shot) silver.

Wales Women break new ground with their first football international outside Europe, losing 2-0 to world champions USA in California, while Cheryl Foster and Hannah Dingley push back boundaries.

Foster becomes Wales' first World Cup referee in 45 years, while Carmarthenshire-born Dingley, 39, is the first woman to manage a professional men's team in English football as she takes temporary charge of League Two club Forest Green Rovers.

Wales' Oliver Farr qualifies for the Open Championship but fails to make the cut at Royal Liverpool.

Wales Under-20s shake off an horrendous Six Nations to finish sixth at the World Championship, having pushed New Zealand 27-26, though head coach Mark Jones opts to join Ospreys on their return.

At Cardiff Arms Park, a three-month saga ends as director of rugby Dai Young leaves despite "insufficient evidence" into alleged bullying allegations while players leave in their droves from all four regions amid drastic budget cuts.

Rugby legend Clive Rowlands, dies aged 85.

Welsh cyclists take the track by storm at the World Championships in Glasgow.

Emma Finucane emulates Becky James as the fastest female cyclist in the world just days after taking silver in the team sprint.

Elinor Barker adds Madison gold to her team pursuit title win alongside fellow Welsh riders Anna Morris and sister Megan.

Athlete Joe Brier wins silver in the 4x400m at the World Championships in Budapest and Laura Sugar completes a hat-trick of titles in KL3 para-canoe World Championship in Germany.

Wales take bronze at the European ll Women's Hockey Championship in Prague with a penalty shoot-out win against Ukraine, while our netballers finish ninth in the World Cup following wins over Trinidad & Tobago, Sri Lanka and Scotland.

Cardiff appoint Matt Sherratt as head coach while Wales begin preparations for the World Cup with a 20-9 win over England on Leigh Halfpenny's 100th cap before a record 52-16 loss to South Africa.

Two long-time fly-halves announce their retirements from Test rugby in Elinor Snowsill and Dan Biggar who says he will retire after the World Cup.

Rarely can a county have seen chief executive, chairman, coach and captain all depart within the space of less than 12 months.

That was the scenario at Glamorgan as chief executive Hugh Morris announces he will step down at the end of a year of change at Sophia Gardens that also saw coach Matthew Maynard, captain David Lloyd and chairman Gareth Williams leave.

Ollie Wynne-Griffith wins world rowing silver, Josh Tarling takes the European time-trial crown and Matt Bush is world para taekwondo champion - again.

Despite a torrid year for Welsh rugby on and off the pitch, Jac Morgan's side beat Fiji (32-26) in Bordeaux, Portugal (28-8) in Nice and a memorable record thrashing of Australia (40-6) in Lyon.

Wales footballer Natasha Harding retires having won 103 caps, while John Devereux, Suzy Drane, Helen Ward and Leah Wilkinson are inducted into the Welsh Sport Hall of Fame.

David Watkins, dual-code rugby international, dies aged 81 and former WRU president Glanmor Griffiths, the driving force behind the redevelopment of the Millennium Stadium, dies aged 83.

Warren Gatland is left to rue a "massive missed opportunity" as Wales are knocked out of the World Cup.

Wales defeated Georgia 43-19 to top their pool unbeaten and then led Argentina 10-0 and 17-12 before going down 29-17 in Marseille in a final Test appearance for Biggar.

Wales Women play in the inaugural WXV1 tournament in New Zealand, losing all three games including 70-7 to the hosts and world champions, while Wales Women rugby league fare a little better against France and England.

The Nations League top tier also proves a step too far for our female footballers as they concede five for a second game in a row - to Germany - before losing 2-1 to Denmark, following an earlier loss to Iceland.

Robert Page's side fare better. Wales play at the Racecourse for the first time since 2019 - beating Gibraltar 4-0 - before Harry Wilson crowns his 50th cap with two goals in a stunning 2-1 win over World Cup semi-finalists Croatia in Cardiff.

Wales is named as co-hosts of a major international football tournament for the first time with Cardiff to stage games in Euro 2028 - and potentially the opening match.

Michael Beckett is named in the GB sailing team for the 2024 Olympics while Mark Williams becomes the second oldest winner of a ranking title - at 48 - since fellow Welshman Ray Reardon in 1982 - aged 50.

We bid farewell to Dennis Gethin, former WRU President and Secretary, 79, as well as former Glamorgan cricketer Gwyn Richards, 71, and Wales football international Ronnie Rees, 79.

Joe Cordina defends his IBF super-featherweight title in Monte Carlo with a majority points verdict over American Edward Vazquez in Monte Carlo.

Elfyn Evans wins Rally Japan - his third victory of the year - to secure runners-up spot in the World Rally Championship for the third time in four years.

Welsh rugby waves goodbye to Alun Wyn Jones, Leigh Halfpenny and Justin Tipuric but the WRU is forced to apologise for staging the uncapped game against Barbarians on the same day as a regional derby.

Sophie Ingle sets a Women's Super League record with her 184th appearance, though Wales men's appearance at a fourth major tournament in a row is left hanging in the balance.

Having seized control of their own destiny, Page's side draw 1-1 with both Armenia and Turkey, so must now progress through the play-offs in March.

Cardiff Devils lose their opening Continental Cup semi-final group match but recover to beat Zemgale Jelgava, of Latvia, and their French hosts Bruleurs de Loups to reach the final, which they will host in January 2024.

Former rowing cox Chris Jenkins is elected Commonwealth Games President.

Swimmer Medi Harris wins her first senior title at the European short-course Championship where Matt Richards added two golds and a silver to his medal haul.

Emma Finucane is named Welsh Sports Personality of the Year.

Boxer Lauren Price ends an unbeaten year with a fourth win of 2023 while Pontypridd runner Clara Evans sets a new Welsh marathon record of 2:24:04 in Valencia.

Swansea City sack manager Michael Duff after their worst start to a season in 32 years but their pursuit of Tottenham assistant Chris Davies fails.

Wales Women are relegated from the Nations League top tier but sign off with a credible draw against Germany.

Samson Lee retires but Rob Howley makes a shock return to Gatland's coaching staff while Brian Price, who led Wales to a Triple Crown and Newport to their famous win over the All Blacks, dies aged 86.

Nassalam had perhaps the most convincing win of the year, cruising to the 2023 Welsh Grand National at Chepstow by 34 lengths to round off the Welsh sporting year.

Listen to the BBC Radio Wales Sport Review of the Year, Saturday, 30 December (14:00 GMT) and later on demand.