She’s regarded as one of Pembrokeshire’s leading sporting stars – and yet the professional badminton career of Jordan Hart now hangs in the balance.

Hart, 24, has represented Wales at senior level for the best part of a decade as well as being involved in Team GB initiatives, and has played in the European Championships.

Her current goal is a spot in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and beyond that, a dream Olympic debut in Paris in 2024.

But despite coming off the back of her most successful season to date where she won international tournaments in Jamaica, Cuba, and Latvia to break into the World’s top 100, Jordan learnt last week that of severe funding cuts that will severely hamper her chances of continuing on the pro circuit.

The former Pembroke Dock girl has already relocated to Coventry to have access to full time coaching and plays her club badminton in France, and her relentless international schedule is set to take her to tournaments in India, Barbados, Ukraine, Vietnam, Maldives, Bahrain, Dubai, Germany, Pakistan, Nepal, and America before 2019 is out.

And she has been hit by the news that although Badminton Wales will continue to assist with her tournament funding, they have decided to take away the coaching money allocated to her.

Speaking to Telegraph Sport from Luxembourg, where she is currently competing in the European Club Championships, Hart said: “I play at a professional level but I don’t make money from badminton. I’m minus in that respect and now I’m set to lose a third of my funding.

“I have coaching for 35 hours plus a week so will now have to find the money for this.

“Last year the tournament funding I received from Badminton Wales covered seven tournaments. Now I am higher ranked I have to travel further and these tournaments cost more money.

"I understand that Badminton Wales will say I am receiving the same amount of tournament funding as before but I will have to play around 18 tournaments and get support for four or five events.

"It is going to mean a lot self-funding to carry on - I can't return back to Wales as there is no training set up for full time athletes so I am forced to either pay for this in England or not continue.”

Sport Wales confirmed they have donated £242, 546.00 to the organisation for 2019/20 and a spokesperson  said: “Our funding for the Badminton Wales elite athlete programme hasn’t changed in their latest allocation.”

 For Jordan, that factor makes things harder to take.

 “My coach and I are very shocked to find out from Badminton Wales that the funding allocated to elite athletes is the same as the previous season, but I will now receive less even though my results have improved so significantly.

 “Usually if an athlete achieves there is an increase in support but to get a deduction has really hurt my planning and preparations for 2022 and the Paris Olympics in 2024.”

 Telegraph Sport contacted Badminton Wales but in the following statement, they avoided discussing the difficulties Jordan will now face.

“Our key target is to qualify a team of Welsh athletes for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 2022.  Jordan will be an integral part of that team, driving the standard.

“Jordan retains her complete Tournament Programme Funding enabling her to compete Internationally. We have also introduced a Senior Squad programme and will Launch Project 22 in season 19/20 - inspiring the next generation of badminton players.”

Jordan is now desperately seeking sponsorship to help her continue with her career, and any individuals or companies who wish to help in any way can contact her on jordanjanehart@gmail.com.