SHOOTER David Phelps was the toast of Team Wales on day six of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, as Welsh competitors won another half-a-dozen medals to take their overall total to 22.

Phelps celebrated his 41st birthday in style with gold in the 50m rifle prone, and he did it courtesy of a new Games record.

The 2006 champion’s score of 248.8 saw him finished ahead of Scotland’s Neil Stirton and England’s Kenneth Parr, who also claimed bronze four years ago.

“It is truly awesome and epic,” said Cardiff’s Phelps. “It is a very pleasant surprise.

“I knew I had it in me to get to the final, but I managed to hold my nerve and just rely on 20 or 30 years of experience.

“Having the crowd sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to me afterwards was very special.

“My friends and family came halfway around the world to see me.”

As well as Phelps’ gold, Wales captured two silvers and three bronzes to leave them seventh in the medal table overnight.

There was a second shooting medal yesterday thanks to Gareth Morris and Chris Watson in the Queen’s prize pairs event.

England’s David Luckman and Parag Patel retained their title, while Scotland’s Ian Shaw and Alexander Walker won the bronze as the home nations dominated the final standings.

Three of Wales’ medals came in the swimming pool where Dan Jervis took silver in the 1500m freestyle, Georgia Davies had to settle for bronze in the 50m backstroke and the women’s 4x100m medley relay team finished third.

Davies, Chloe Tutton, Alys Thomas and Kathryn Greenslade broke the Welsh record in the process.

And there was also a bronze on the athletics track for Melissa Courtney in the women’s 1500m, the Dorset-based runner clocking a new personal best to win a first major medal.

“I’m in complete shock, I can’t believe I ran that fast,” said Courtney.

“I felt strong in the last 100m, the crowd were going crazy, and I’d tried to pretend the crowd were cheering for me as I came past the Aussie.

“I’ve got so many family and fans out here, it’s my first big final, and it went so well.”

Elsewhere, Tredegar’s Chloe Thomas joined Ebbw Vale’s Charlotte Carey in the last 32 of the women’s table tennis singles, and Gwent bowlers Stephen Harris, Marc Wyatt and Jonathan Tomlinson beat Canada 23-10 in the men’s fours.

But the men’s hockey team lost 3-2 to England having been 2-0 up and the netballers suffered a 76-40 reverse against Uganda.

Meanwhile, Wales duo Philippa Tuttiett and Alisha Butchers have been forced to withdraw from the women’s sevens squad due to injury.

Tuttiett was set to captain the team tomorrow but a knee ligament issue has ruled her out.

Butchers has not recovered from an ankle injury suffered during the Six Nations.

Travelling teenage reserves Beth Lewis and Lucy Packer will step up to replace the injured duo, while Sian Williams takes over the captaincy.