SWIM Wales held their winter championships in Swansea and eight swimmers from Heads of the Valleys Swimming Club qualified for this event.

There were competitors from all over Wales and some from England and Heads of the Valleys SC did exceptionally well.

The youngest swimmer to take part, in the 10/11 year age group, Mackenzie Morgan, swam superbly to win gold in the 200 butterfly and achieve a winter championship record as well. She also gained two silvers in the 100 butterfly and 200 IM, plus 6th place in 200 backstroke and 7th place in the final of the 100 breastroke.

In the same age group Kate Jenkins achieved two 2nd reserve places and 6th position in the final of the 200 IM.

In the 11/12 year age group Shaye Parfit achieved many personal best times plus two final places, finishing 5th in the 200 backstroke and 6th in the 50 frontcrawl.

In the 13/14 year age group Liam Saunders, who is coming back to form after injury, gained a bronze medal in the 200 butterfly and 7th position in 100 butterfly final.

In the 12/13 year age group, despite being only 12, Freya Watson came from at least two body lengths behind to snatch the bronze medal in a very exciting race in the 200 butterfly.

Amy Richards, in the 14/15 year age group, and again despite being just 14, had a very exciting race in the 200 butterfly to come 2nd and also gain her British National qualifying time in this event. She also achieved a position in the 100 butterfly final and came 7th in the 800 F/C. All these swimmers swam exceptionally well and really put Heads of the Valleys Swimming Club on the map.