Holywell Swimmers shine bright at Wrexham’s 2026 Crystal Meet

Wrexham’s 2026 Crystal Meet took place on Sunday the 15th of March at the Waterworld Leisure & Activity Centre in Wrexham.

This Level 3 Open Meet is a key event for our younger and less experienced swimmers, providing an ideal competitive environment for those aged 9 and over.

The meet had a lovely atmosphere poolside; our swimmers cheered each other on and raised the team’s performance resulting in lots of medals, PBs, records and top boy and girl awards. Well done team.

For Holywell, the Crystal meet continues to be a vital stepping stone for young athletes to gain competitive experience before moving up to higher-level meets.

I would like to thank Wrexham and all the officials who helped. Our team managers Sheryl Garrett and Becca Williams who were great support to me and coach Kate Turner. A big thank you to Millie Jones, one of our senior swimmers who helped look after the younger swimmers with their pre-pool stretching sessions. Not to forget all our fantastic parents for their support, the swimmers were a credit to the club and swam some amazing races.

The team:-

Seren Baily (4 races, 4 PBs)

Holly Brown (4 races, 4 PBs, 1 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze)

Willow Brown (2 races, 1 PB)

Rocco Carr (4 races, 2 PBs, 1 Bronze, 1-5th, 1-6th)

Charlie de Haan (5 races, 4 PBs, 3 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Meet record in 100 Back)

George Donnan (3 races, 1 PB, 3 Gold)

Sam Donnan (5 races, 4 PBs, 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze, 1 Meet record in 50m Breast)

Madoc Hinz (5 races, 3 PBs, 5 Golds, 3 Meet records in 100IM, 50m Back and 50 Fly, winning Top Boy in the 9 year age group)

Ellie Hudson-Young (4 races, 2 PBs, 2 – 5ths)

Betsy Jones (5 races, 4 PBs, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze, 1- 4th)

Milly Jones (3 races, 1 PB, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze)

Erin Jones (4 races, 2 PBs)

Noah Jones-Walker (3 races, 3 PBs, 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Meet records in 100 Breast and 100 Free)

Emily M’Keown (5 Races, 5 PBs, 5 Golds, 1 Meet record in the 100 Free)

Patrick McCullagh (5 races, 4 PBs, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze, 2-4ths)

Matilda McIntyre (4 races, 3 PBs, 2-4ths 2-6ths)

Freya McPherson (2 races, 2 PBs)

Millie McPherson (4 races, 4 PBs, 1 Bronze, 1-4th, 1-5th, 1-6th)

Amber Nash (4 races, 2 PBs, 2 Bronze, 1-4th)

Alex Parker (2 races, 2 PBs, 1-4th, 1-6th)

Sophie-Rose Ratcliffe-Roberts (3 races, 3 PBs, 1-5th)

Ffion Rich (2 races, 2 PBs, 1-5th), Tilly Rimmer (2 Races, 1 Silver)

Rachel Robinson (2 races, 2 PBs, 1-6th)

Isabelle Skippon (5 Races, 4 PBs, 1-5th, 1- 6th)

Ralph Thomas (5 races, 5 PBs, 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze, 2 Meet Records in 50 Back and 50 Fly),

Skye Turner (5 Races, 5PBs, 1 Bronze, 2-4ths, 2 -5ths)

Bella Twist (4 races, 4 PBs, 1 Bronze, 1-4th, 1-5th, 1-6th)

Joseph Walker (5 races, 4 PBs, 2 -6ths)

Phoebe Williams (5 races, 3 PBs, 3 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Meet Record in 50m Breast)

Top boy and girl trophies went to Charlie de Haan, Phoebe Williams, Madoc Hinz, Emily M’Keown and Holly Brown.

Well done team, looking forwards to the Welsh National Championships over Easter.

Head Coach – Terry Boardman

#holywellasc #TeamHolywell #swimwales

About Terry Boardman

I have been coaching at Holywell ASC for nearly 19 years, beginning as a volunteer when my two sons swam for the club. After earning my Level 1 coaching qualification in 2005, I progressed to Level 2 and became head coach in 2010. In 2013, I achieved my UKCC Level 3 Senior Coaching Certificate and completed a degree in Sports and Exercise Science to deepen my understanding of the sport.

I’ve gained valuable experience from renowned coaches and programs, including Swim Wales, British Swimming’s S&C coach Barry Shillabeer, and mentoring from industry experts like James Stannard and Barry Healey. I also hold training in disability coaching and am a deaf-registered coach.

My coaching philosophy spans all levels, from entry to performance and masters swimming, focusing on skill development, inclusion, and following British Swimming’s Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model. My goal is to empower swimmers to achieve their aspirations through a holistic approach that combines technical skills, personal growth, and life skills.

Holywell Swimmers shine bright at Wrexham’s 2026 Crystal Meet