LAURA HALFORD, from Cricklade, along with team-mates Frankie Jones and Nikara Jenkins, made history by winning Wales' first ever Commonwealth Games team medal in rhythmic gymnastics as they claimed silver in Glasgow on the opening day of competition.

The trio finished behind hot favourites Canada thanks to an all-round consistent performance, with Jones especially impressive on the way to a second-placed finish in the qualifications for the individual all-around.

The Canadian team of Patricia Bezzoubenko, Maria Kitkarska and Annabelle Kovacs won gold with a total score of 141.450, with Wales' tally of 136.625 putting them in second place ahead of Malaysia in bronze.

England's Stephani Sherlock, a club-mate of Halford’s at Esprit in Swindon, along with Lynne Hutchison and Mimi-Isabella Cesar came home in fourth place.

Jones and Halford also both booked their places in today’s all-around final and Saturday's hoop, ball and ribbon finals, with Jones completing the full set by also qualifying for the clubs final.

Halford, the reigning British and Welsh champion, put together a superbly consistent set of results: Hoop (14.500), Ball (14.200), Club (13.500) and Ribbon (13.400) in front of an almost sell-out crowd at the Hydro.

Jones, the 2010 Delhi hoop silver medallist, will compete in all five individual finals in her third and last Commonwealth Games before retirement after securing a top-eight finish with each piece of apparatus and second spot in the all-around qualification.