At 19 years of age Cerys McCrindle has been swimming since she was just 3 months old, and competitively since she was 11. Currently she swims with the South Ayrshire Swim Team Para Squad as well as having been selected for the Scottish National Squad.
In the last 4 years Cerys has been selected to swim for the Great Britain Down Syndrome Team competing in Paris, Nova Scotia and Sardinia, as well as many domestic events in Britain. Cerys has won numerous medals at these events and gained a European Record in the Women’s 4x50m Freestyle Relay in 2019. In 2019 she also was recognised for her amazing achievements at the Scottish Women in Sport Awards where she won the ‘Inspiration in Sport’ award.
In the past year Cerys has had to adapt to doing land training and online zoom sessions which you can imagine is very different to being in the water. Cerys has put a lot of effort into this to keep her fitness up and has also gained employment in a tailored job as a Sports Development assistant (2 year post working 24 hours a week) with South Ayrshire Council Sport and Leisure. Cerys is really enjoying this and hopes this will lead to becoming a Swimming Teacher when normality resumes. She is also working towards her Zumba Instructors qualification which will enhance her Freestyle Dance Teacher qualification she already has. Cerys has also volunteered her time to help coach people with additional needs in the ‘Learn to Swim’ programme.
With this list of accolades as well as her work and volunteering activities all before the age of 20, it is safe to say that Cerys is a hugely inspirational person in the world of disability sport.