It was smiles all round last Sunday when the two local Tenderfoot Teams competed in the 18th Welsh Disabled Sports Team Championship sponsored by Rotary International and held at the Newport Leisure Centre, Gwent.
Team captains Simon Woolley, of Kilgetty, and Martin Matthews, of Broadmoor, set the standards for the day in their respective events of weight-lifting and swimming.
Notable achievements came from both boccia teams who reached the semi-final stage, being pitted against one another, with the A team comprising of brother and sister Simon and Kimberly Woolley, of Kilgetty, together with Angie Richards, of Broadmoor, where they were narrowly beaten in the final.
In his third championship, Matthew Vidler, of Pembroke, reached the final of the table tennis event, again narrowly missing out on top spot.
The team were saddened by the late withdrawal of Mel Morgan from Jeffreyston on health grounds. However, fellow shot putt competitor Dennis Woolley once again showed his skills which over the past few years have landed seven gold medals.
Newcomers to the team this year were Meryl Cox, of Tenby, Carl Stanley, of Manorbier, and Francis Corbet, of Narberth, all performing well in their respective sports.
Original team members of John Richards, Broadmoor; Jonathan Hubbard, Kilgetty; James Dash, Spittal; Martin Goodhall and Matthew Boyd, Haverfordwest, also competed well, gaining valuable points for their respective teams.
Ironically, only one point separated both the Tenderfoot teams at the end of the day, with team B edging the contest.
The Tenderfoot teams were formed in conjunction with the Rotary Clubs of both Saundersfoot and Tenby, with this year's training undertaken by members of the Saundersfoot Club, who travelled in numbers to Newport to support their sponsored teams.
Team managers, president Newman Vincent and Rotarian Charles Hopkinson, of the Rotary Club of Saundersfoot, were extremely pleased at the dedication shown by all team members and congratulated the teams on their final placings, particularly as the event attracted the highest number of team entrants from all over Wales.
Tenderfoot are seeking to attract up to five new team members for next year's competition and new members who may be interested in participating should contact Rotarian Charles Hopkinson on (01834) 812793.