VALE swimmer David Davies has been made the first member of the Swim Wales Hall of Fame.

Former St Cyres pupil David, 27, from Barry, was recently presented with a Welsh cap in honour of his achievements by South Wales Performance Director Martyn Woodroffe at Swansea’s National Pool.

"I’m very honoured to receive this award," he said.

"I have put a lot of hard work in for many years and had fantastic support from so many people I can’t list them all.

"Wales is a small nation, and we are a proud nation, and we do look after our own," he added.

"I am very privileged to receive this accolade and I can’t name all the people that have helped me throughout my career."

The Olympic medal winner said he hoped his success would inspire more youngsters to take up the sport: "I’m just a normal guy from Barry who thought I could give the sport a good go, and I have achieved more than I ever thought I would," he said.

"My ambition now is to carry on that message to other swimmers in Britain, especially in Wales, so we can have more than one person this amazing accolahavingde."

David was presented with his honourary Welsh cap in front of fellow GB Olympians and Paralympians - including Penarth's Ieuan Lloyd - as part of the British Swimming Heroes Tour, which featured members of the swimming, diving, synchro, water polo and disability swimming squads on a five date tour around the country.

The events provided thousands of children with the opportunity to meet and swim with their heroes as part of British Swimming’s ambition to get more children in the pool as a legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.