TWO swimmers from Aberystwyth and District Amateur Swimming Club have competed in the Wales Summer Nationals in the Welsh National Pool in Swansea.

Gwennan Filmer and Lili Macy, both 12 and from Penweddig had achieved qualifying times to be selected to compete with the best swimmers in Wales.

Outgoing captain Elen Morgan and new captain Lily May Welsby, both from Penweddig, had also qualified yet again for the nationals but had elected not to take part this time. 

Former ADASC swimmers were also James Llewellyn Raw, Sami Prysor and Solomon Gwynfil were there swimming for their respective clubs.

Gwennan Filmer had qualified in numerous events but had chosen to compete in eight events in Swansea. Lili Macy had qualified for two.

Both girls headed down to Swansea for their first event in the Nationals on 1 August.

Lili competed as an ADASC swimmer and Gwennan competed as an NSG swimmer (Nofio Sir Gâr) as she was there for three full days.

Ceredigion doesn’t have a county swimming program, so NSG is the closest one and offered to coach and support Gwennan over the three days of competing.

Gwennan’s first event was the 200m freestyle and she got off to a flyer, with a 8.92 second PB.

This meant she qualified for a top eight final place later on in the day against the fastest eight swimmers in that event in the 12-year-old category. 

Gwennan also competed in the 50m breast, earning another PB and a finals place. 

She then completed the session in the 100m back but missed out on a PB and a finals place.

Lili swam in one event on Thursday, the 100m backstroke.  She swam well in her heats and earned a PB.

In the finals in the last session of the day, Gwennan came 8th and 7th in the 200m free and 50m breast.

On Friday, Gwennan was back in the pool to compete in the 200m breaststroke and 800m freestyle.

She earned a PB in both events, with a 1.99sec in the 200m breast and an astounding 17.21 second PB in the 800m free!  She earned an 8th and 5th place in the finals.

On Saturday, Gwennan competed once again in her final three events.  She competed in the 200IM, earning a great PB, the 50m free and 100m breast where she also achieved another PB and an 8th place finish.

Lili returned to the National Pool on Monday to compete in her final event, the 50m backstroke. There was no PB this time but it was a wonderful opportunity to swim with and watch the best swimmers in Wales compete.

To support swimmers, their families, coaches and assistants, Dr Jo Wallace, a senior lecturer from the Department of Life Sciences at Aberystwyth University as well as a poolside assistant at ADASC where her son Oli is a vice captain, carried out workshops to the ADASC community on nutrition and hydration during training and competing and the importance of warm ups and cool downs before and after training.

These workshops were very well received and the ADASC committee would like to thank Dr Jo for her sharing her expertise.

Training over the summer has been quite a challenge due to the temporary closure of Plascrug Leisure Centre pool, resulting in training being reduced with sessions at the University pool and Aberaeron.

A beach party was arranged at Borth last week to get the swimmers and their families together for some fun in the sea but in the main to say a big thank you to our outgoing club captain Elen Morgan.

Elen has been swimming with the club since she was in primary school and been a devout member of the club throughout her time.

She has not only volunteered for many years as an assistant but recently acquired a level 1 coaching qualification to coach.

She has always been an excellent example to younger swimmers which is why she was voted club captain for two years at the club as well as shortlisted for Young Aquatic Swimmer of the Year by Swim Wales last year.

The club wishes Elen all the best as she starts her new chapter in Swansea University and hopefully look forward to welcoming her back to the club when she’s back home.

ADASC would also like to thank Elen’s mum Gaynor for all her years of commitment as a valued member of the committee. 

The club cannot operate without the army of dedicated volunteers.

If you or your child has an interest in swimming and would like to join ADASC, please contact [email protected]