Sport
Pembrokeshire’s Olympic sailing star Micky Beckett
Competing in the Men’s Dinghy Event in Marseille
Another Welsh athlete is set to make his Olympic debut on day six of the Paris Games. Sailor Michael Beckett will be competing in the men’s dinghy event in Marseille.
At 29, the West Wales native was previously working as an advisor for TV directors during the Tokyo Olympics. Now, he’s at the centre of the action himself, having won European gold, world silver, and both bronze and silver at the Paris 2024 test event.
Beckett will debut at Marseille Marina on Thursday, participating in two races daily, aiming to make it into the top 10 and advance to next week’s medal races. Following in the footsteps of Welsh sailors Ian Barker and Hannah Mills, as well as sports legend Sir Ben Ainslie, Beckett is poised to add to Team GB’s medal tally.
From West Wales to the South of France, here’s a closer look at the real Micky Beckett.
Born in the small village of Solva, with fewer than 900 residents, in 1995, Beckett was introduced to sailing by his father, Piers, the principal at the local boat club, Solva Sailboats.
First seated in a boat at the age of five, Beckett began competing in races across the UK and joined the Wales and British sailing squads at 12. In his teenage years, he travelled the world for competitions but maintains that there is no place like home.
“Solva is my anchor,” he told the Western Mail in a recent interview. “It’s where I’m from and the place in the world I’m most proud of. I love to come back and chill out with my dad. Growing up in Solva was amazing; it was like one big playground for me, my brother Stevie, and our friends. We used to explore every cave from Newgale to St David’s Head.”
“When I travel around the world, one of the first questions I get asked is where I’m from. It usually takes some explaining and often involves getting out Google Maps. I start by saying West Wales, but they think Cardiff. I end up saying, ‘Go across the Severn Bridge, drive for two and a half hours, and go all the way to the end.’ I tell them we’re closer to Ireland than England, living in Solva.”
His Welsh roots are incredibly important to him: “If I’m in a taxi in Spain and I get asked, I just say I’m from Wales, where Gareth Bale is from. Sometimes that gets you a cheaper fare. I’m very proud of where I’m from and I’m very proud to represent my country and Team GB. I get changed every day with a towel with a Welsh dragon on it, and that goes with me all over the world. It is a very important part of my identity, having grown up in Pembrokeshire.”
As Beckett prepares to make his Olympic debut in the South of France, he reflects on achieving a lifelong dream he once thought unattainable.
“Being a part of the iconic Team GB is amazing. I wouldn’t describe myself as too much of a dreamer, but the Olympics only ever existed for me on TV before this,” he told the Western Mail.
“I didn’t know anyone who had been to the Olympics until I started sailing professionally, and it always felt a long way away. I did an interview on BBC 5 Live after being selected, and they asked me what I thought about the new kit. I’m the least fashion-conscious person around, but that question made me realise that I’m now part of this iconic team. When I think about all the phenomenal athletes who have gone before – Ben Ainslie, Hannah Mills, Sir Steve Redgrave – and then realise I’m now one of the people following in their footsteps, I just don’t have the correct words to explain what that means to me.”
While his father introduced him to sailing, Beckett’s mother, Josie, ignited his ambition, encouraging him to pursue his dream of making it to the Olympics.
Tragically, Josie passed away in July 2022 after battling cancer, but she knew her son was on his way to realising his dream. As Beckett takes to the water in Marseille, he will be reminded of the sacrifices both his parents made to fuel his ambitions. He recently joked that his “mum and dad got great value out of their AA membership from all the miles they had to drive taking me to different events almost every weekend” as a youngster.
Beckett’s fiancée, Ellie Aldridge, is also part of the Team GB line-up in Paris. She won the European kitefoil title last year and secured her third medal at the last World Championships with silver.
Meanwhile, his former school friend Jasmine Joyce-Butchers has been competing in the women’s rugby sevens event. Both athletes attended Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi in St Davids as children.
Headteacher Rachel Thomas recently expressed the school’s pride in cheering on both former pupils at the Olympics, describing them as “humble and so inspirational.”
“We’re so proud of both Micky and Jazz, as we are of all our pupils in whatever sport they progress in. We’re here to provide them with the opportunity to develop their talent, and it’s great when they go all the way to the top,” said Thomas. “The pupils are studying the Olympics in school at the moment, and they were thrilled when Micky paid us a visit. He simply told them to try to be the best they could be – and to keep on trying. He was such a great all-rounder in school, playing in the orchestra as well as participating in many sports. Both he and Jazz are just so humble and so inspirational. We’ll all be backing them in Pembrokeshire.”
WALES’ search for a first win in this year’s Women’s Six Nations continues after a tough afternoon at Rodney Parade saw them fall 40-14 to a dominant Ireland side.
Despite a strong start and an early try from Carys Cox, the home team quickly lost control of the match as Ireland ran in six tries – two apiece from Linda Djougang, Aoife Wafer, and Dorothy Wall.
A second-half score from late squad addition Hannah Bluck gave Wales a glimmer of hope, but it was little more than consolation in front of a record crowd of 3,568 at the Newport venue.
Ireland’s forwards proved too powerful throughout, and Wales’ defensive frailties were exposed time and again. The defeat marks Wales’ fourth consecutive loss of the tournament, and they now face a must-win match against Italy to avoid finishing bottom of the table for a second straight year.
Wales began with purpose, with stand-in fullback Lleucu George causing problems early. Her clever kick down the flank forced an error from Ireland’s Amee-Leigh Costigan, allowing Cox to dive on the loose ball for the opening try.
But Ireland soon found their rhythm, capitalising on soft tackling and set-piece pressure. Djougang muscled over after a burst from Wafer, who soon added one of her own as the visitors took control.
Even a yellow card for Ireland fly-half Dannah O’Brien – shown a card for dangerous contact – did little to help Wales. The Irish maintained their dominance with Wall crossing just before half-time to put them 21-7 ahead.
Ireland continued their charge in the second half, with Wall securing the bonus point shortly after the restart. While Cox and Jasmine Joyce-Butchers tried to spark a response, handling errors and turnovers repeatedly derailed Welsh attacks.
Bluck’s try, created by strong carries from Carys Phillips and a sharp offload from Keira Bevan, gave fans something to cheer. But Wafer had the last word, bulldozing her way over from the base of the scrum to seal the win.
Ireland now look to cement third place when they face Scotland, while Wales have one last chance to salvage their campaign when they travel to face Italy.
After the match, head coach Sean Lynn admitted the performance was painful: “It hurts. We all feel it. We had moments where we were right in it – we could have gone 14-0 up – but didn’t take our chances. That’s the difference at this level.”
Ireland’s Aoife Wafer reflected on the team’s spirit: “We talk about being the most connected team in the world. That shows in how we play – not just the 23 here, but the girls back home too. Winning away is never easy, so we’re proud of this.”
Wales team: Joyce-Butchers; Neumann, Jones (capt), Keight, Cox; George, Bevan; G. Pyrs, K. Jones, Scoble, Fleming, Evans, K. Williams, Lewis, Callender.
Replacements: C. Phillips, Davies, Rose, John, A. Pyrs, S. Jones, Bluck, Richards.
Ireland team: Flood; McGann, Dalton, Breen, Amee-Leigh; O’Brien, Scuffil-McCabe; McCarthy, N. Jones, Djougang, Campbell, Wall, Hogan, McMahon (capt), Wafer.
Replacements: Moloney, McGrath, Haney, Tuite, Boles, Lane, Higgins, Elmes Kinlan.
Yellow card: O’Brien (36 mins)
Tries – Wales: Cox, Bluck | Conversions: Bevan 2
Tries – Ireland: Djougang 2, Wafer 2, Wall 2 | Conversions: O’Brien 3, Breen 2
FISHGUARD will once again play host to the Wales Triathlon this summer, with hundreds of competitors set to descend on the town for the popular sporting event on Sunday, June 15.
Organised by Activity Wales Events, the triathlon includes a two-lap sea swim in Fishguard Bay, followed by a two-lap cycle from Fishguard to St Davids and a four-lap run along the Marine Walk and out onto the breakwater.
In order to facilitate the bike leg on closed roads, several road closures will be in place throughout the day.
Major road closures
The A487 between Goodwick and Mathry will be closed between 9:45am and 3:00pm.
Between Mathry and Croesgoch, the A487 will be closed from 10:00am to 3:00pm, and from Croesgoch to St Davids the closure will run from 10:00am until 2:45pm.
Crossing points will be in operation at Mathry crossroads, Croesgoch crossroads, and the Llangoffan to Granston junction. Diversions will be signposted, with local traffic routed via minor B roads and through Haverfordwest for longer journeys.
Town centre impact
In Fishguard, West Street will be closed between 12:00pm and 6:00pm for the running stage. Residents will still be able to exit side roads, with diversions clearly marked.
Goodwick residents will be able to exit the town via the Tesco roundabout, which will remain open all day.
Care access and course passes
Care workers will be allowed access to visit clients within the closed sections, but must obtain a course pass via their organisation in advance.
On the day, carers using the route must:
- Follow the direction of the race
- Display their pass clearly
- Keep hazard lights on at all times
- Exit the route as soon as safely possible
Further information
The event attracted over 1,000 athletes last year, and organisers anticipate another strong turnout.
More information can be found at: www.walestriathlon.com/athletes/event-info
Road closure details are available at: community.walestriathlon.com
For course pass enquiries, contact: info@activitywalesevents.com
All matches complete as season concludes
THE 2024/25 season of the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association – known as The Friendly League – has now officially concluded, with all clubs completing their outstanding fixtures.
The past few weeks saw the following catch-up matches played:
- Carew 8–2 Llanteg
- St Johns 8–2 Cosheston
- Hundleton 8–2 Reynalton
- Reynalton 9–1 Lamphey
- Cosheston 10–0 Kilgetty
- East Williamston 9–1 Kilgetty
Final League Table (2024/25 Season)
| Position | Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | S/D | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Williamston | 20 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 313 | 158 |
| 2 | St Johns | 20 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 111 | 122 |
| =3 | Carew | 20 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 105 | 111 |
| =3 | Cosheston | 20 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 77 | 111 |
| 5 | Reynalton | 20 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 28 | 104 |
| 6 | Hundleton | 20 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 74 | 97 |
| 7 | Llanteg | 20 | 7 | 1 | 12 | -71 | 92 |
| 8 | St Twynnells | 20 | 8 | 1 | 11 | -97 | 89 |
| 9 | Badgers | 20 | 6 | 1 | 13 | -22 | 82 |
| =10 | Lamphey | 20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | -179 | 67 |
| =10 | Kilgetty | 20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | -262 | 67 |
Congratulations to East Williamston, who finish the season as clear champions with an impressive 158 points and a shot difference of +313.
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