Years of slavish dedication to a punishing training schedule paid off in style for Crymych’s remarkable 17-year-old Croft twins on Saturday when both stood together on top of the Three Nations Championships podium for the first time at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens.

Southpaw Ioan proved king of the 60kg division, beating European champ Adam Azim (Pinewood Star) in the semi-finals en route to winning his second gold in the Three Nations.

Croft simply proved too good for Scotland’s Robert Hewitt in Saturday’s final and the unanimous points verdict was never in doubt.

And Cardigan ABC head coach Guy Croft looked on in pride as Ioan’s twin Garan subsequently overcame Scotland’s Reese Lynch on a split decision in the 64kg final for a Three Nations double.

“This was Garan’s first Three Nations gold after being so close,” he said.

“For me this was the culmination of eight years’ hard work, to get the boys on the podium together.”

An old rival of Ioan’s, Azim had beaten the Welsh teen in close bouts on their previous two encounters after setting the benchmark in the 60kg class for the last few years.

The reigning European champion was looking to capture his fourth Three Nations title, but Ioan found his range early with straight sharp jabs and back hands.

“In the first round Ioan came out as sharp as I’ve ever seen him,” recounted Croft senior. “It was soon clear to me he was in control.

“Adam is usually a lightning-sharp counter puncher, but Ioan was in and out with his own shots without getting caught - the first round was close but Ioan edged it.

“The second  continued the same way with Ioan taking more control while Adam started getting frustrated.

“The third saw Ioan dominate, landing a string of accurate straight backhands which Adam couldn’t avoid.” The decision went to Ioan on a 4-1 split, only the English judge voting against the Cardigan ABC boy.

Following Friday’s semi-final drama, Saturday’s finals proved something of an anti-climax as  Ioan comfortably secured gold on a unanimous decision against Hewitt.

Then it was the turn of Garan who produced a workmanlike display to edge out Scotland’s Reese Lynch whose awkward style made for a messy encounter.

Garan, however, landed the cleaner shots, taking the fight to his opponent to secure the win.

Nia Smith meanwhile, of Merlins Bridge ABC, also represented Wales in her final against England's Sasca Hickey at 57kgs.

Hickey went in as a two time European champion and a record of 22-0-1, but Smith battled hard early on before being caught by a solid left right combination, causing the referee to award a standing count.

The Pembrokeshire fighter hung in there though before the contest was stopped towards the end of the second round.

The fight would have served as invaluable experience for 16-year-old Smith though, who was fighting in her first Three Nations Championships.