Latest news with #FergusFeeney
South Wales Argus
5 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Delyth Jewell MS on importance of swimming and concerns
Swim Wales, the governing body for swimming, told the Senedd committee I chair that there was a danger that swimming could become a middle-class activity, because of the cost of lessons. Figures released in 2024 show that only 35 per cent of children in years 3-6 are able to swim. This isn't just a question of exercise – it's a safety issue. Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death in Wales (worryingly, the rates of accidental drowning in Wales more than doubles the UK average). Clearly, it is imperative that we teach children how to swim, and from a young age. That is why Plaid Cymru has pledged this week to provide every primary school child in Wales with free swimming lessons. Plaid Cymru's universal swim scheme will consist of providing 20 swimming and water safety lessons for all primary pupils during Years 4 and 5 of school. The policy announced this week will not only save lives, but is part of Plaid Cymru's commitment to a new and transformative preventative health agenda. It is a policy that will, I hope, lead to more children leading active and healthier lives. I'm proud that we've made this pledge – and I'm not the only one. Fergus Feeney, the chief executive officer of Swim Wales, has also welcomed the pledge, saying that 'by having a universal school swimming offer, we can ensure that Welsh children from all backgrounds have the same opportunity to acquire a life skill, to develop their confidence and begin their journey of lifelong physical activity. This would mean that Wales would be the first home nation to have a national programme of this significance in place.' Delyth Jewell is Senedd Member for South Wales East.
Leader Live
6 days ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Wrexham-born Olympian Hector is now a record-breaker!
The Wrexham-born swimmer has set a new world record by becoming the first person in history to swim Britain's three biggest lakes – Loch Lomond (Scotland), Windermere (England) and Bala's Llyn Tegid (Wales) – back-to-back in a travel inclusive time between lakes of under 24 hours. The two-time British Olympian completed the three swims, totalling over 34-and-a-half miles, in a combined swim time of 12 hours and 15 minutes. In the process, he smashed the previous record for Loch Lomond by an incredible one-and-a-half hours. Swimming through the night, starting at one minute past midnight on Saturday morning in water temperatures as low as 14 degrees, he completed the gruelling 21.6 miles in a new record time of seven hours, 46 minutes and 15 seconds. From Loch Lomond, Pardoe and his support team travelled the 167 miles to Lake Windermere - where he set the current record back in 2023 - in a fleet of electric Jeeps. He was cheered on at the finish by hundreds of supporters lining the lakeside beaches and pontoon to complete the 10.5-mile length in three hours and 38 minutes. After another 152 miles of driving, the next stop was Bala and it was getting dark by the time he entered the water. Cheered on again by large groups of supporters, he mustered up every ounce of energy to complete the astonishing 34.5 miles of swimming - representing almost twice the length of the English Channel, and over 2,220 lengths of a typical 25m public swimming pool. At the end he was greeted by Fergus Feeney, CEO of Swim Wales and crowned 'King of the Lakes'. In the process, Pardoe has so far raised over £6,000 for Surfers Against Sewage and highlighted the need to clean up our waterways. Support and donations keep flooding in to his Just Giving page. He said: 'I knew that this wasn't just about pushing my own limits; it was also about using the platform I've built through sport to fight for the environment that made me. 'Across the UK, our rivers and lakes are being polluted by sewage and agricultural runoff, making them unsafe – not just for athletes like me, but for anyone who wants to enjoy them. I knew that I had to push through my pain, cold and hunger to further highlight this issue. For me it's all about national pride. 'Hopefully I have now thrown down the gauntlet for others to follow. Complete this challenge if you dare.' Sponsorship came from Jeep, Cameron House Hotel and Bala Lake Hotel.
