A junior wheelchair tennis player from Deganwy represented Wales at the School Games National Finals 2022, returning with three medals.
A legacy from the London 2012 Paralympic and Olympics Games and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, the School Games National Finals welcomed 1,000 young athletes from across the UK to the weekend-long event held in Loughborough.
The Welsh wheelchair tennis squad brought home one gold, three silvers, and a bronze.
Among those to bring back silverware was 18-year-old Alex Wilson from Deganwy, who won two silvers and a bronze as Wales’ young players showed their potential.
Alex secured a bronze medal in the Boy’s Singles, before partnering Cardiff’s Lilly Folland to a silver medal in the Mixed Doubles and winning the silver medal in the Boy’s Doubles, with Tredegar’s Cameron Hudd.
Alex will be returning to Loughborough at the end of September to begin his undergraduate studies – but for now, he returns home to Deganwy with pride.
Will Croft, Team Manager, said: “This was the biggest Welsh wheelchair squad to go to the Games, which is an incredible achievement for the team – and for tennis in Wales.
“To win so many medals is nothing short of amazing. It is just reward for all the hard work they have put in, in training, and I am extremely proud of every single player in the squad. They were brilliant representatives for Welsh tennis both on, and off, the court.
“There is no doubt that wheelchair tennis in Wales is looking very strong now, and in the future.”
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The team’s performance at the Games was supported by Tennis Wales, following the launch of Tennis Wales’ Wheelchair National Training programme in 2020.
Alongside financial support for training and equipment, including sport wheelchairs, the programme also provides coach support at competitions – such as the School Games.
Simon Johnson, CEO of Tennis Wales, said: “We’re thrilled to hear the competitors enjoyed their time at the School Games, and gained invaluable competition experience.
“The wheelchair tennis programme in Wales is growing year on year, and we’ve recently started a Junior Performance Programme – we’d encourage any young players with an interest in sport to give tennis a go, with support from us at every step of the way.”
To find out more about Wheelchair Tennis initiatives in Wales, visit www.lta.org.uk/about-us/in-your-area/tennis-wales/disability-tennis/.
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