Sport

Pembrokeshire’s Olympic sailing star Micky Beckett

Published

1 year ago

August 1, 2024

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.”

Sport

Haverfordwest RFC names Team of the Week

Published

1 hour ago

December 14, 2025

Herald Sport

HAVERFORDWEST Rugby Football Club has announced its latest Team of the Week, celebrating standout performers from across the junior age groups following another busy weekend of fixtures.

Players from the U7s through to the U16s Eagles have been highlighted for their work rate, teamwork and commitment on the pitch, with coaches praising the effort shown by all who took part.

The club said the selections recognise not only individual performances but the dedication shown by players at training and during matches throughout the season.

Parents and supporters were quick to share their congratulations online, with particular praise for U12s players George Bentley and Tom Wheeler, who impressed during their fixture.

Team of the Week – 14 December 2025

U7s: Ollie Bromham & Arthur Slee
U8s: Theo Headland & Lyla Phillips
U9s: Theo Canton & George Thornton
U10s: Rhys Davies
U10s Eagles: Frankie Campbell
U11s: Griff Jenkins & Ollie Edwards
U12s: George Bentley & Tom Wheeler
U12s Eagles: Cyra Ellis
U15s: Logan Keane
U16s Eagles: Laura Cichon

Coaches thanked players and families for their continued support as Haverfordwest RFC moves through the winter fixtures, saying the positivity around the club remains a key part of its success.

Sport

Bluebirds’ European Journey Continues in Season Four of You Can Have It All

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2025

Herald Sport

Club documentary series returns to document Haverfordwest County’s historic UEFA Conference League campaign

HAVERFORDWEST COUNTY has confirmed the return of their club documentary series, You Can Have It All (YCHIA), later this month, showcasing the thrilling journey of last summer’s European adventure.

YCHIA first began filming in 2021, with Season One covering a rollercoaster 2021-22 campaign for the Bluebirds. The season ended with a dramatic top-flight survival, following a challenging period. Season Two shifted focus to the 2022-23 season, which saw the club qualify for Europe for the first time since 2004. The Bluebirds’ stunning play-off victory, which included back-to-back penalty shoot-out wins against Cardiff Met and Newtown, marked manager Tony Pennock’s first season in charge as a major success.

The excitement intensified as the series continued to cover their historic European campaign, which began with a trip to North Macedonia to face KF Shkëndija. Returning to Cardiff City Stadium for the second leg, the Bluebirds made club history by winning their first-ever European tie on penalties. The drama then took them to the Faroe Islands to face B36 Tórshavn, where they were controversially edged out by a single goal in the return leg.

Now, with further continental success under their belts, YCHIA returns for its fourth season, documenting last summer’s European adventure. This season follows Haverfordwest County’s journey through the qualifying rounds of the newly rebranded UEFA Conference League (UECL).

Providing exclusive behind-the-scenes access, the series tracks the Bluebirds’ travels to Malta for the first leg of their UECL first qualifying round tie against Floriana, and the return leg at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli a week later. The season also covers the build-up to the competition, including a visit to Geneva for the UEFA draw and a match against reigning Northern Ireland champions Linfield at Windsor Park, the national stadium.

Season Four will be released in three episodes on December 18, December 23, and January 2. You can watch You Can Have It All on Haverfordwest County’s YouTube channel by following this link. The club will also share highlights and snippets of the documentary across their social media platforms, so be sure to follow them on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter)!

News

Pembroke Dock coach helped steer Lando Norris to F1 world title

Published

3 days ago

December 11, 2025

Seren Baker

Local mentor recalls seven-year-old Norris as “one to watch from day one”

A FORMER Pembroke Dock man has been revealed as one of the earliest influences behind newly-crowned Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris – adding an unexpected Pembrokeshire chapter to one of the biggest sporting stories of the year.

Robert Dodds, who grew up in Pembroke Dock before later moving to Poole, was Norris’s first coach at BKC Racing. He began mentoring the future McLaren star when he was just seven years old, helping shape the early foundations of a career that reached its peak on Sunday (Dec 7) when Norris secured the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to The Herald, Mr Dodds said Norris’s talent was obvious from the very first outing.

“There was something special about him from day one,” he said. “By the time he was eight, he was already as quick as the 10–12-year-olds. He just had this will about him – he wanted it.”

Pembrokeshire link to a global success story

Dodds coached Norris for four years, guiding him through kart setup, technique, and competitive racecraft. He says he remains “immensely proud” that his own Pembrokeshire roots now form a small part of the world champion’s rise.

“Ten or fifteen years ago he was sat in the front of my van as we drove to tracks,” he said. “Now he’s flying around the world racing in Monaco. It’s incredible how far he’s come.”

That early development included a fierce sibling rivalry with Norris’s older brother, Oliver – something Dodds believes accelerated his progress.

“Because of that rivalry, his pace shot up. He wanted to beat his brother – and then he wanted to beat everyone.”

BKC Racing has produced other top talents too, including 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Phil Hanson, further underlining the pedigree of the team that helped launch Norris’s career.

The moment a champion first stood out

Dodds still recalls an early test at Clay Pigeon Raceway, where a seven-year-old Norris completed a lap in 39 seconds – a benchmark usually achieved only by much older cadet racers.

“He came past me with his thumb up – this tiny kid doing senior cadet times. That was the moment we knew.”

Norris seals his first world title

Norris made his Formula 1 debut in 2019, claimed his first podium in 2020, took pole position in 2021 and secured his first Grand Prix win in Miami in 2024. His 2025 campaign saw him take multiple victories before clinching the world championship in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first British driver since Lewis Hamilton to lift the title.

Pride back home in Pembrokeshire

Motorsport fans across the county followed Sunday’s title decider closely, with many celebrating the unexpected local connection.

A local F1 fan who watched the race in a Haverfordwest pub told The Herald:
“Everyone here was proud of Lando – and hearing that one of his early coaches came from Pembroke Dock makes it feel like Pembrokeshire had a tiny part in his journey.”

Dodds, who continues to mentor young racers today, says Norris’s success is already inspiring the next generation.

“It’s like something out of a film. I’m proud of what he’s achieved – and proud to have been part of the journey.”

For Pembrokeshire, the story adds a local footnote to a global sporting triumph – and a reminder that world champions sometimes start out much closer to home than anyone realises.

Cover image:

Proud mentor: Pembroke Dock’s Robert Dodds helped shape Norris’s early racing career (Pic: Robert Dodds)