Members of Brecon Integrated Sports Association (BISA) that represented Powys and Special Olympics Wales at the Special Olympics Great Britain National Summer Games 2026 were invited to a reception evening at Brecon Guildhall on Wednesday, 21 October to recognise their achievements.

The Basketball B team won Gold Medals in the 5 a-side competition, which proved to be an excellent performance with only seven players. The team was made up of: Bradley Burrows, Daniel Grinter, David Whittle, Hannah Charnley, James Shaw, Russell Reeves and Sasha Bell, with coaches Dean Welton-Wall, Beverley Tucker and assistant John Bell.

In athletics, Josh Longbottom competed in the 100m and won the Silver Medal. In the relay he and his team came first, achieving the Gold Medal and in Shot Put Josh came 4th place.

Ethan Orton played for the Special Olympics Wales A Basketball team which took home a silver medal. He also competed at a high level in Badminton winning a Gold and two Bronze medals.

At just 16 years-old Katie Davies achieved two Silver medals and a Bronze in her first Special Olympics competition in swimming with assistant Nikki Braun Davies.

Other BISA club athletes present at the Guildhall were: Aled Hutchinson, Dale Brown, Damian Andrews, Huw O'Reilly, Rebecca Morgan; and Club volunteers: Gwenno Hutchinson, Pamela Jones, Vicky Morgan, Louise Howell and young sports ambassadors Isabelle Welton-Wall, Eve Howell.

Julie Driscoll represented Brecon Athletics Club. Brecon Athletics Club and Bronllys Badminton Club are insport clubs who welcome and train BISA athletes.

Families, friends, Support Workers and Christ College Brecon Sixth form students all help make the club’s Friday club sessions integrated in multi-sports, as well as being safe and fun for the members..

The group enjoyed snacks and refreshments at the Guildhall and listened to a speech made by Town Mayor Sian Drinan. After conversing with members of the Town Council everyone posed for a photo in the Guildhall.

In her speech, Mayor Sian Drinan said: “It’s brilliant to see everybody here on this special night to celebrate the achievements of this wonderful club. I didn’t know about the club until I read about its achievements at the World Championships and Special Olympics this summer. Having read that, I knew I just wanted to meet you all and say well done on your brilliant achievements and thank you for going there and doing Brecon proud.

“It’s an absolutely wonderful achievement and I’m overwhelmed by it to see all these medals. I’ve never seen so many medals in one room!

“There’s so many familiar faces in here who I had no idea took part in all of this, which is absolutely extraordinary.”

The Mayor went on to pay tribute to the club’s volunteers. She said: “Of course it wouldn’t happen without the volunteers and people behind the scenes. One of the things I’ve learnt in my role as Mayor is that it’s the volunteers who keep things going in this town and this club is a perfect example of that.”