Swim Wales are launching a recruitment campaign to identify swimmers for Para-Swimming. Para-Swimming is the competitive pathway for swimmers classified with a physical, visual or intellectual impairment, with the pinnacle of the pathway being the Paralympic Games.

Swim Wales’ aim is to find every swimmer who is eligible for classification and place them onto the development pathway and on to compete at National and International competition. Swim Wales National Para-Swimming Manager, Huw Griffiths said “All eyes will be on Rio this year for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but we are looking further ahead to Tokyo in 4 years and the swimmers we want to be representing GB at those and other major championships. But first we want to make sure that the pathway is available and the opportunities to access it are as clear as possible”.

The campaign will be run in two stages. Stage 1 is for swimmer identification. This means that any swimmer with an impairment that is eligible for classification can attend and will be assessed on basic swimming criteria. Griffiths says “Stage 1 is all about finding swimmers who can be signposted to opportunities such as learn to swim and making sure that they have access to this vital part of swimming development at the earliest opportunity”. Swimmers who are identified as having the ability to train within a club environment will be invited to the second stage of the process. This is about athlete identification. Griffiths added “Stage 2 will go into more depth than Stage 1 and will help us to identify swimmers that can not only train within clubs, but what level they can be placed and whether they will be ready for classification and competition”.

Events will be held throughout the year and across Wales, with the majority being placed during school holiday time to maximise the possibility of swimmer attendance. However, the events are not specifically directed at children. Swimmers must meet the following criteria:

1)      Be aged between 8 and 35 years

2)      Able to swim a minimum of 15 metres

3)      Have a physical, visual or learning disability eligible for classification

Information on classification can be found on the Swim Wales Para-Swimming website at www.welshparaswimming.co.uk

To apply or put a swimmer forward for classification you can visit www.operationtokyo2020.co.uk and complete an online application form. Swim Wales will contact each swimmer to inform them whether they will be invited to attend an event and every swimmer will be provided with information on aquatic opportunities available locally.

For more information on Para-Swimming in Wales contact Huw Griffiths at huw.griffiths@welshasa.co.uk