Great Britain’s Rosie Eccles has confirmed that she has her sights set on the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The 28-year-old controversially exited the Paris Olympics this summer, after a split-decision loss to Poland’s Aneta Rygielska in the women’s 66kg boxing.
Eccles was on the front foot throughout the three-round welterweight bout but after edging the first on the judges scorecards, Eccles was deemed to be second best to Rygielska in the next two – even after the Pole was deducted a point late in the third round for failing to keep her head up.
Since returning home from the games the boxer has praised the support she has received from Welsh Boxing.
“I’m probably still struggling to be honest with the way things turned out,” said Eccles.
“It’s so hard, when you’re going out there to get gold or at least bring home a medal and come home with nothing in the circumstances that it happened, it was definitely tough.
“I think in sport sometimes someone just has a better day than you and you’ve got to be able to just suck that up, but that wasn’t the case this time. I felt that I never really got going or got to show my best, I didn’t have my shot at a medal, let alone gold.
“The support I’ve had from Welsh Boxing has been incredible. I’ve really struggled, but they’ve provided amazing support for me.”
Former Olympic and Commonwealth champion Lauren Price turned professional following glory at the re-scheduled Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Less than three years later and Price is now Wales’ first female world champion boxer, but Eccles says she has no desire of turning professional, as she prepares to create Welsh boxing history of her own.
“People have always asked me about going professional because of my style, I can punch. I’ve only ever had two real dreams and that’s the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics,” added Eccles.
“I said I’d never put a glove on again, I’ve come back around now and I’m not quite done yet. I’m going to set my sights on the next Commonwealth Games, no one has ever won a third medal for Wales in boxing.
“That will definitely be my last Commonwealth Games, but until then let’s keep going and if my body’s done then it’s done, but if it’s got more, let’s squeeze what I can get out of it.
“If I did walk away I think I’d always have a regret and I’d be asking myself what if? To finish like that would not be a nice way to walk away from sport.
“Even if I don’t go out the exact way I want, I just want to give that little more of what’s left in me, especially for Wales.”
Los Angeles a step too far?
With the next edition of the Olympic Games taking place in Los Angeles in 2028, Eccles says she is not thinking directly about the Games, but has not closed the door on the chance of returning to the Olympic stage.
“At the moment looking at LA directly is too far, it’s too painful, but going forward in the future, you never know when it comes to the world of sport,” Eccles told BBC Sport Wales.
“I’ll see what else is meant for me, it might be LA, it might not be.
“For now I’m going to base back in Wales for a little bit, that’ll do me the world of good. I live away from home five days a week, it’s difficult and it’s a lot of travelling.
“I want to get the love for boxing back, get my health back and get things rolling again. They say don’t make decisions when you’re unfit, make them when you’re back and in the sport.
“It’s also about the next generation coming through, I want to help out and have an increasing role with that in Wales and Great Britain and really support that next generation.”
The 2026 Commonwealth Games will only feature 10 sports, but Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) are yet to confirm what these will be.
Athletics and swimming will definitely feature, as these were made compulsory sports by the Commonwealth Games Federation in 2021.
Organisers can then choose from a list of 22 other core sports including boxing.
