ON the day that Sir Terry Matthews was pipped to the post as Wales' richest man, we bring you eight instances where Gwent comes a commendable second.

1. The Severn bore - the second biggest tidal river wave in the world

The Severn Bore is the second-biggest tidal bore or wave in the world and can reach speeds of up to 13 mph. Its largest recorded wave was 9.2ft (2.8m). The biggest in the world is the Ch'ient'ang'kian (Hang-chou-fe) in China. At spring tides the wave can get up to 25 ft (7.5 m) and a speed of 16.7mph.

2. The second-biggest lock gates in the world

South Wales Argus: NEWPORT DOCKS: A picture from 1926

For a brief time, Newport Dock's South Lock (the Great Sea Lock) was the biggest lock gate in the world, but was overtaken by the lock gates on the Panama Canal which opened a month later in August 1914.

3. River Severn again - the second highest river tidal range in the world

South Wales Argus: Image from PictureGalleryModule_ID:3121419

The River Severn has the second-highest tidal rise and fall of any river in the world with a range of 11m (36ft). The highest is in the Minas Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada, with a range of 16.8m (54.6ft).

4. Newport - the second biggest commuter area in Wales

South Wales Argus: Newport railway station usage falls

In 2008, 31,400 people commuted to work in the city making Newport the second biggest destination for commuters in Wales after Cardiff.

5. The second-fastest solo walk to the South Pole

South Wales Argus: HERO: Richard Parks at the South Pole

Newport's rugby player-turned adventurer Richard Parks completed the second-fastest solo, unsupported and unassisted journey to the South Pole.

He reached the pole on January 4th this year after he walked 1,150km (715 miles) in 29 days, 19 hours and 24 minutes. It did make him the fastest Briton to complete the journey.

6. Newport firm is second in UK

South Wales Argus:

Big Newport employer Admiral is the UK's second biggest car insurer.

7. The UK's second-biggest castle

South Wales Argus: – the largest castle in Wales – is among the stops on the Easter Monday day trip.

Admittedly just outside Gwent, Caerphilly Castle is the second-biggest in the UK. The largest is Windsor Castle.

8. Sir Terry Matthews - Wales' second Richest man

South Wales Argus: Sir Terry Matthews (1144000)

The Newbridge-born billionaire remains in second place on the Welsh Rich List and is worth £1,190m.