swimming

Matthew Richards became Wales’ first Olympic swimming gold medallist in more than a century alongside Calum Jarvis in 2021, and now his sights are set on individual honours. The 21-year-old Richards reached the pinnacle of his sport at the age of 18, winning Olympic gold as part of the men’s 4x200m relay team in Tokyo, […]

People of all ages in Wales are being encouraged to learn key safety tips to help young people stay safe around the sea, rivers and other open water. The call from Water Safety Wales comes as statistics showed a rise in accidental drowning deaths involving people aged under 20 for a second year running. Water […]

Cardiff Council, alongside Swim Wales and partners, has revealed plans to address the low number of children taking part in school swimming lessons. Delivered by the Council’s Cardiff Commitment Curriculum Team, in partnership with Swim Wales, Cardiff Met Sport, GLL, Legacy Leisure, Urdd Gobaith Cymru and Public Health Wales, the project aims to increase the […]

Swim Wales, the National Governing Body for aquatics in Wales, has strengthened its relationship with leading North Wales leisure operator Byw’n Iach, after signing a new partnership agreement. Byw’n Iach operate 11 leisure and sport venues on behalf of Gwynedd Council with the mission of offering sustainable leisure and fitness activities of the highest quality […]

Welsh para-swimmer Rhys Darbey has been selected to represent Great Britain at this summer’s Paralympic Games. The Nofio Clwyd athlete will make his Paralympics debut in Paris when the Games get underway in 100 days. Darbey, who only received his S14 classification in 2022, earned a silver medal at his maiden World Para-Swimming World Championships […]

For Mental Health Awareness Week 2024, Swim Wales President Keri Hutchinson has penned her latest blog on relationship between aquatic activity and mental health. This week is Mental Health Awareness Week 2024.The theme for this year, as set by the Mental Health Foundation, is “Movement: Moving more for our mental health”. The aim of this awareness […]

Welsh pair part of Great Britain squad crowned World top team again at the World Down Syndrome Swimming Championships 2024. Williams wins World medley relay bronze. Great Britain retained their top team title at the 11th World Down Syndrome Swimming Championships held in Antalya, Turkiye 19-26 March 2024 Down Syndrome Swimming Great Britain took a […]

Matthew Richards completed a hat-trick of Paris Olympic nomination times as he won the battle of the titans in the Men’s 200m Freestyle. The 21-year-old faced off against GB teammates and sprint royalty with Olympic champion Tom Dean, Tokyo silver medallist Duncan Scott and gold medal winning relay teammate James Guy in a domestic final […]

Matthew Richards stormed to a second Olympic nomination time and lowered his Welsh 50m Freestyle record on day five of the Speedo Aquatics GB Swimming Championships. The Tokyo relay gold medallist had already sealed his place in Paris with victory in the 100m Free, but now has the opportunity to clinch a sprint triple with […]

Rhys Darbey put himself firmly in the frame for this summer’s Paralympics after producing a stunning swim to smash the 200m IM Para nomination time. The 16-year-old, who won silver on his World Championships debut in Manchester last year, was inches away from a gold medal that would have guaranteed his spot in Paris as […]

Daniel Jervis and Matthew Richards booked their places at the Paris Olympic Games on an electric day of swimming at the Speedo Aquatics GB Swimming Championships. The distance star and the sprint king top-and-tailed a successful night for Welsh athletes at the London Aquatics Centre. The evening began with the 1500m Freestyle Fastest Heat, in […]

Welsh athletes will aim to book their place in Paris at the 2024 British Swimming Championships and Olympic & Paralympic trials this week. The iconic London Aquatics Centre on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will play host to the first combined Championships from 2nd-7th April 2024. The new-look British Championships will see Olympic and Paralympic swimming […]

The Swim Wales National Championships returns to Swansea for the 2024 edition this weekend (Friday22nd March – Monday 25th). An incredibly exciting year for Welsh aquatics is well underway. With the 2024 Olympics & Paralympics in Paris on the horizon and the first combined British Championships & Olympic & Paralympic trials two weeks away, our […]

Swim Wales publish the National Squad Selection Procedures for the 2024/25 season The Swim Wales National Squad Programme aims to provide a progressive and inclusive National Squad pathway in line with the Swim Wales Performance Mission – ‘To support the holistic development of swimmers and para-swimmers to achieve their full potential, aspiring to achieve podium […]

Swim Wales can confirm some key updates to our Competition Calendar for 2024. These changes have been made by the Swim Wales team following feedback from our aquatics community to improve our competitive pathway. The National Development Meet (Long Course) will now take place on Sunday 14th July and the Swim Wales Summer Meet will be closed to Welsh swimmers […]

Three Welsh swimmers achieved medal success, including gold, as part of the Great Britain team at the first IISA European Championships in Oradea, Romania. They were up against more than 300 of Europe’s most experienced ice swimmers competing in 4 degrees Celsius water in an outdoor 50m pool. Swimmers competed in distances from 50m to […]

Wales National Pool Swansea, the home of the Swim Wales High Performance Centre, has been awarded Swim Wales Learn to Swim Accreditation as they aim to inspire the next generation. As a Swim Wales Accredited Provider, Wales National Pool Swansea’s Learn to Swim programme has been recognised for providing excellence in their delivery, governance and […]

Hector Pardoe’s Olympic debut was brutally cut short by an eye injury, but now he has his sights set on redemption after clinching a dramatic World Championships bronze. The Welsh marathon swimmer charged to Britain’s first 10km marathon swimming World Championship medal for more than a decade on Sunday in Doha. Pardoe’s sensational finish in […]

Swim Wales and British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru have joined forces to encourage people of all ages to take part in the Swim 60 Challenge this February for Heart Month.   The Swim 60 Challenge could be 60 minutes, 60 lengths or 60 miles – participants choose the time and distance according to personal fitness levels, […]

Diolch yn fawr iawn to everyone who contributed to the Swim Wales Annual Awards 2024. Congratulations to all of our finalists and award winners, your efforts in 2023 have made a huge impact on Welsh Aquatics, and we were delighted to be able to celebrate with you at the Village Hotel, Cardiff.  Thank you to […]

In her latest blog, Swim Wales President and Public Health Wales All Wales Diabetes Prevention Programme Manager Keri Hutchinson delves into the role aquatics can play in a person’s mental and physical health. As a health professional, I have extolled the virtues of swimming and aquatic activity to improve health and wellbeing to many who […]

Records tumbled as hundreds of swimmers battled it out across three days of action at the Swim Wales Winter Championships 2023. A total of six Welsh records were broken at Wales National Pool during the short course championships as Olympians and Commonwealth Games medallists took to the pool. Day 1 Day one in Swansea witnessed […]

Allen Bewley has retired from his role as Swim Wales Chair following eight successful years. Allen has made a significant impact on Welsh aquatics during his time in post and will leave a lasting legacy as he steps away from the Board of Directors. Swim Wales Vice Chair Ian Jones will step into the role […]

A quartet of Welsh para-swimmers have been invited on to British Para-Swimming’s 2023-2024 World Class Programme. Rhys Darbey, Lily Rice, Dylan Broom and Meghan Willis are part of the 41-strong group of swimmers selected on the back of impressive seasons, with the 2024 Paralympic Games less than a year away. Nofio Clwyd’s Darbey has been […]