Countdown begins towards Swansea’s Para Sport Festival
Children have been given a taster of competing in a triathlon ahead of the festival next month
Pictured are pupils from Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Gellionnen in Clydach at the special triathlon event (Photo: Disability Sport Wales)
Five schools and more than 100 pupils have tackled a specially designed triathlon course to mark the start of a 50-day countdown towards Swansea's Para Sport Festival.
Welsh Triathlon, Sport and Health Swansea, and Disability Sport Wales celebrated the 50-day milestone until the event - which takes place between July 10 and 16 - with an inspirational GO TRI Insport Series event at Penlan Community Leisure Centre.
Pupils joined para-athletes, sports coaches and Wales women's rugby international player Robyn Wilkins.
It was the first time that the majority of children had experienced a triathlon.
Following the school visits, members of the Disability Sport Wales (DSW) Performance Pathway Hub, who have a little more experience of sport, came to have, what even for many of them, was also their first taste of triathlon.
Gwyndaf Lewis, Welsh triathlon participation officer, said: “It is very important to get children back out and doing sporting activities after the restrictions of group participation during Covid-19.
"Having a competitive element to a GO TRI event helps children to push their own limits and it gives them a huge confidence boost as well as being a lot of fun.
"The hope is that many of these children will join Welsh Triathlon or a local club and grow the sport across Wales.
"Swansea has some fantastic sporting facilities and for many years now it has been doing a great job bringing big sporting events to the city and promoting the health and well-being of everyone.”
Mark Evans, from Sport and Health Swansea, said: “This GO TRI event is the start of our triathlon season and over the summer we’ll be organising more of these events and inviting a lot of schools to come along and taste triathlon for the first time.
"From a participation point of view, we think that triathlon is one of the best sports because it involves swim, bike and run.
"It’s very inclusive and everyone can get involved.
"This has been a great event and we’ll be working with Disability Sport Wales to encourage schools to come along to the Para Sport Festival on Tuesday, July, 11 where triathlon will be one of over 20 sports that children can try for free.
Registration is open for individuals or schools to confirm their free space at the Insport Series event now.
This is an opportunity for everyone to experience the range of inclusive and disability specific opportunities available in Swansea.
Further information and the opportunity to sign up is available at parasportfestival.co.uk
