FORMER world champion Colin Jackson says it’s vital that new stars emerge to aid the growth of athletics in Wales.

The 49-year-old was a two-time world champion, Olympic silver medallist and multiple European and Commonwealth gold medalist over 110m hurdles.

But since his retirement in 2003 only 400m hurdles star Dai Greene and Newport sprinter Christian Malcolm have made a big impact on the track in a Great Britain vest.

And Jackson, who will be a BBC pundit at this year’s Rio Olympics, says the current crop of Welsh athletes need to shine on the biggest stage to inspire the next generation.

“We need some global players to make it normal for people from Wales to be competing on the biggest stage,” said Jackson.

He picked out 400m runner Seren Bundy-Davies, who won a relay bronze with GB at last year’s world championships, and 110m hurdler David Omoregie as ones to watch.

“Seren is very talented and confident and she’s more than capable of raising her game and hitting the heights.

“David is still really young and hasn’t had that much international experience at a senior level – on the Diamond League and the big competitions where you go head to head with the best.

“That’s where you learn and push your performances.

“Once he’s done that he will do very well indeed because I do believe he is mega talented.”

After a successful Commonwealth Games for Wales in 2014, Jackson also believes sprinters like Hannah Brier and Newport’s Mica Moore have the potential to succeed in the future.

“Our female sprinters were fantastic in Glasgow,” he said.

“I think there is a lot of potential here in Wales but we’re probably not going to see the best of them until after the next Commonwealth Games in Australia.”

Jackson was speaking at the launch of this year’s Sanlam Go Dad Run events – a series of 5K and 10K runs for men and boys to raise awareness of and funds for Prostate Cancer UK.

The Cardiff event takes place in Bute Park on Father’s Day – June 19.

Jackson said: “It is something that is really personal to me because I had two uncles who suffered from prostate cancer – one unfortunately died but the other luckily survived.

“After retiring from professional sport I realised that men are really bad about talking about health issues.

“So I thought I’d organise something where guys had the opportunity to come together and talk.

“The men and boys run and women can be a part of it by encouraging their fellas to get out there and do the run.”

Visit godadrun.co.uk for more details.