ABERYSTWYTH & District Amateur Swimming Club hosted a mini gala at Plascrug Leisure Centre recently.

Arranged by the coaching team and committee of ADASC, it was a wonderful opportunity for our swimmers from ages 8-18 to experience a gala in their home pool.

55 swimmers took up the opportunity to take part and compete against swimmers in their squads.

It started off with the long-distance events on Thursday and Friday night.

Swimmers from all six swimming squads (Performance, Senior Comp, Junior Comp, Development Transition, Progression Squad and Academy) took part, with the most senior swimmers able to try the longer distances such as the 400m, 800m and even 1,500m and the less experienced swimmers competing in the 100m and 200m. 

Volunteer coaches, poolside assistants and parental helpers were there to support the swimmers, time the events and for the longer distances operate the lap counters to ensure that the swimmers could keep track of how many lengths they had left.

There was great camaraderie, with swimmers supporting each other.

A special mention to Alanna Jones from Penweddig and from the senior competition squad, who was the only swimmer willing to attempt the 1,500m distance. 

She showed great stamina and pacing to complete 60 lengths of the pool in less than 30 minutes.

Performance swimmer Gwennan Filmer from Penweddig won the 800m event.

Kiana Berner won gold for the 800m in the Senior Competition category for girls with Wilf Thomas, also from Penglais winning the boys category.

Club Captain Ivan Rukov from Penglais won gold in the 400m in the Performance Squad for boys with Kaya Szmigiero from St. Padarn’s winning in the girls’ category.

Gwerfyl Morgan from Penweddig won the 400m in the Senior Comp squad with Jack Foale from Penglais winning in the boys’ category.

Alanna Rae Morris from Plascrug won the 200m for girls in the Junior Comp squad with Fergus Ironside winning in the category for boys.

Moli Tooze from Penrhyncoch won the 200m for girls in the DT squad with Owen Filmer from Yr Ysgol Gymraeg winning the boys category.

Rosa Bates from Llanfarian won the 200m from Progression Squad with Eiry Merriman from Yr Ysgol Gymraeg winning from the Academy Squad.

Osian Jones from Llanilar won the 100m from the DT squad.

The following day over 50 swimmers from all squads took part in a variety of sprint distances from 25m freestyle to the 100m IM.

The pool was looking fabulous with new anti-wave ropes in place and professional starting blocks ready for racing all courtesy from grants from Swim Wales and Cefn Croes Wind Farm.

Parents and guardians supported the event and there were refreshments and plenty of cakes provided to sustain the supporters and swimmers.

It was a busy day of racing with many swimmers racing for the first time and many PBs achieved.

Swimmers competed against swimmers in their squads and there were medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd for both girls and boys with a ceremony and podium in the main reception at the end of the meet.

At the end of the day’s racing, the swimmers were placed into relays which provided them all with a great racing experience as a team with new joint club captains for 2024 Ivan Rukov from Penglais and Aaron Jones from Penweddig and Lily May Welsby and Tirion Sherman-Higgs both from Penweddig cheering them on and then showing their great prowess and skills in the water by swimming in the relays for senior swimmers.

Exiting club captain Elen Morgan from Penweddig was also in attendance, sharing her experience with the swimmers.

Vice captain Oli Lerigo from Penglais was also there to provide cheers and encouragement to all the younger swimmers.

Plascrug Leisure Centre were thanked for hosting the event and the army of volunteers who give up their time regularly in all aspects of running the club to provide such a wealth of opportunities for the young swimmers of the local area.

With ADASC nearing its 50th anniversary year since its creation in 1976, they look forward to hosting a range of celebration events in 2026.

If you wish to share your memories and photographs of the club or would like to get back to being involved in the club or enquire about your child joining the club, please email the secretary on [email protected]