Dani Rowe has announced that she is aiming to ride for Wales in the 2018 Commonwealth Games, switching from representing England.
Former Olympic, world and European champion for the team pursuit on the track, Rowe (née King) made the announcement via Twitter on Monday morning in a brief statement and a photograph of herself in Wales national kit.
"My connections with Wales and Welsh Cycling go back to 2009 when I started to be coached by Courtney Rowe – the father of my husband Matt," wrote the 27-year-old, who married Matt Rowe in October 2017. Matt is the brother of Team Sky's Luke Rowe.
"I have therefore had a strong affinity and love for the country where I now live and call home, for the whole of my professional cycling career."
Rowe states that British Cycling have supported her decision to ride for Wales, and she thanked Commonwealth Games England, Sport Wales and Welsh Cycling for their support.
Rowe has been using the Welsh Institute of Sport for strength and conditioning since "expressing a desire to want to represent Wales".
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"Wales is a country that has produced so many incredible cyclists, and if selected I hope I can continue to do the country proud."
Rowe took a gold medal in the 2012 Olympic Games in London as part of Great Britain's team pursuit line-up. She also helped claim three team pursuit world titles (in 2011, 2012 and 2013) and European team pursuit title in 2011 and 2013.
More recently, Rowe has focussed on the road. A serious training crash in 2014 left her with five broken ribs and a collapsed lung, and meant she was ruled out of the GB track team. She was left disappointed having not been selected to ride on the road at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
In 2018, Rowe will ride for the Woawdeals Pro Cycling team (formerly known as WM3) alongside Dutch star Marianne Vos. In 2017, Rowe placed ninth in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and 10th in the women's Tour de Yorkshire.
The 2018 Commonwealth Games take place on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, over April 4-15.
