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Pontypool Dolphins – Proud Runners Up In Welsh National Team Finals
At the inaugural Welsh Team Championships in Llandudno, North Wales, on Saturday 19th July 2008 Pontypool Dolphins showed what quality swimmers they have when picking up the runners up trophy. Finishing second to the much bigger Wrexham Swimming Club, Pontypool Dolphins swimmers acquitted themselves extremely well with many swimmers winning their individual events.
This exciting team event took place in the new Llandudno swimming pool, opened at the start of the event by one of Wales’ most popular and successful athletes, Tanni Gray Thompson, who herself has started swimming more regularly as part of her triathlon training.
Pontypool had qualified for the finals by winning the South East Wales regional competition in Newport and the finals proved another ideal opportunity to test the strength of a developing squad against swimming squads from around Wales.
The Pontypool swimmers, all local to their home base at Pontypool Active Living Centre, began a long day at 6.30am. Swimmers as young at 9 were hauled out of their beds to make the long journey north with another arduous day in the lives of these young swimmers and their ever-supportive parents to look forward to. With bleary eyes and plenty of yawns, many parents also got on the coaches, with the swimmers, despite their ages, seeming to take it all in their strides.
With a long coach journey ahead the club is indebted to the organisational capabilities of Paul Brookes who organised fun and games to keep everyone entertained, as well as the sister act that is Clare Brown and Cath Jones who ensured none of the swimmers had chance to relax and take it easy. How any of the swimmers had enough energy left to compete is a tribute to their fitness.
Due to illness and holidays the Dolphins travelled without some of the key members of their squad, but they need not have worried. The swimmers who did travel did themselves and the club proud, winning far more races than could reasonably have been expected of them. As a team event it was one of the club’s most notable achievements in its thirty plus year history.
Having done remarkably well in the pool, the swimmers and parents simply had the battle of the four hour return journey to contend with, but thankfully, 16 hours after leaving their base, the swimmers arrived home safely, the runners up trophy tucked securely under the arm of team coach Steve Yeates. Mercifully, the national team finals will be held in Newport next year, so all the Dolphins need to do is make sure they qualify.
The next big step for the Dolphins is to make sure their 27th Open Meet on 1st/2nd November 2008 is as successful as last year. As one of the longest established clubs in Wales, the running of their Open Age Groups Meet back in their own pool at Pontypool Active Living Centre is an important occasion, and one where the club seeks to celebrate the achievements of the swimmers.
If you or your club are interested in joining us for our Open, information and entry forms for the Meet can be found on the Links page of this website or on the Swim Wales website. We would be delighted for you to join us.
If you are interested in joining the Dolphins to take up or continue competitive swimming you are most welcome and contact details can be found on the website.