Tom Dyer always plays down his own sporting involvement but he has enjoyed participating in football with Broad Haven, rugby in Cardiff, basketball and athletics in school, cycling in Velothon, surfing, a couple of half marathons, and even climbed the tortuous Inca Trail up Machu Picchu over a three-day period.
 
But he is actively involved in sport from another viewpoint because as Head of Content, Producer and Presenter at Pure West Radio he promotes sport whenever he can – and is the producer of the Monday night ‘Pure West Sport Show’ with Eaton-Evans & Morris and the ‘Pembrokeshire Sport Update’ on Friday mornings with Bill Carne.
 

Range of sports in school

 
Tom would readily admit that he enjoyed sport in primary school but took a while to adapt to the ‘Big School’ at Tasker Milward.

“I played a bit of rugby there but enjoyed cross country and did well in the school and county and so ran for Dyfed – and I still have my vests as a great memento.
 
“Basketball was another sport I relished and we had a more than useful team which won the Pembrokeshire Cup – and I was well and truly hooked on sport.”
 

Took up football here – and then rugby in Cardiff

 
“When I left school I would describe myself as a ‘sport dabbler’ because I never excelled in anything but loved trying out anything physical – and joined Broad Haven Football Club because my elder brother Sam was there and characters like John Hipperson and Shaun Ennis, playing mostly at full back but ready to play anywhere just to get a game.”
 
When Tom moved to study at university in Swansea he decided he would like to give rugby a chance and trained with the college team for a season but only had one game – and that was against his fellow students as Swansea Uplands turned up a man short and he was roped in to play for them!
 
“When I started work in Cardiff I joined Whitchurch RFC, mainly for fitness but I gradually got a few games on the wing for the second team and was pleased that I was able to cope with the physicality until we played a physically strong Rhiwbina Seconds and I broke a rib.
 
“It effectively finished my season but within a short time I was able to be involved in a pole fitness class – and dangling upside down was a safer way to get fit!”
 
Tom eventually returned to Haverfordwest and decided to re-join Broad Haven FC, where by now Sam was captain and his nephew, Luke was playing too – and after coming on for the seconds as a substitute a few times he became a starter and did well enough to win the man of the match award.
 
He began to play on a regular basis, even when he went back to work in Cardiff and travelled home on weekdays and weekends to play alongside the team to get the season finished in time.



 

Velothon and surfing – more sports to try out . . .

 
He has always enjoyed testing himself and so Tom competed in a Velothon with his colleague, Paul, that took cyclists from Cardiff to Abergavenny and back.

“It took in the Tumble and Caerphilly Mountain roads and was 96 miles in total and I managed to battle through in five and a half hours – but I was pleased just to complete it because I only had two short training sessions beforehand to get acclimatised,” admitted Tom.
 
“I’m not brilliant at surfing but I do like having a bash at Newgale and Broad Haven,  and had one super Christmas Eve when I was in Australia which was an absolute highlight with warm weather as a bonus it was an above-average experience,” Tom told us with a chuckle!



 

. . . Followed by indoor climbing and half marathons!

 
As if that wasn’t enough Tom also decided to try the indoor climbing wall at a leisure centre in Cardiff and although he was a little nervous and not the best in the world with heights he persevered and actually managed to reach the top.
 
Then there’s his half marathons and Tom has managed to break the two-hour barrier on each occasion, including a personal best of one hour and 41 minutes in Cardiff - he even convinced his elder sister around that time for only her second ever race. His slowest was a one hour 59 after he had attended a wedding the day before in Cardigan, had a very late evening and didn’t get much sleep! And who knows – there could be a marathon at some time in his sporting future!




 

Climbing the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – now that was a tester!

 
And finally, with regard to his range of sporting exertions, Tom took on the Inca Trail in far-off Peru for charity. He even got to do it with his twin sister, Felicity, who joined him from Canada.

“I trained with a friend of mine, Dean, and he lost a pound after one of my early training workouts. We had to follow a strict training regime for 12 weeks beforehand which necessitated long treks of between four and eight hours but it was worth it because the three-day trek was immense before we reached the summit of Machu Picchu and saw the amazing architecture of the ancient capital of the Inca civilization.
 
“We had to overcome altitude sickness and real fatigue caused by the reduction of oxygen in the air but we were determined to do well because we were raising funds for Tenovus Cancer Care – and a measure of how tough it is can be gauged from the fact that one whole day is taken up on climbing the myriad steps up the aptly-named ‘Dean Man’s Pass’.
 
“I actually managed to catch up with the group which had booked to go in front of us and I will never forget the amazing views that we were lucky to savour.

“I was fortunate enough to not have many side-effects from the altitude and seemed to keep a lot of my energy. So much so, when others were too tired or feeling too sickly from the altitude to eat dinner I would finish off everyone else’s!”



 

Promoting sport on ‘Pure West Radio’

 
So although Tom modestly says he is just someone who enjoys testing his body there is no doubt that he is just the right man to manage the ‘Pure West Sport’ team that includes Ben Stone, Gordon Thomas and Fraser Watson for two hours on Monday evenings – and can be watched on Facebook and includes live guests.
 
He also links with Gina Jones and Bill Carne early on Friday mornings for a look at the weekend’s sport.
 
“I started out as a technician who edited interviews off screen but my role has grown and I enjoy being more involved, thanks to the confidence shown in me by station owner Toby Ellis and Mathew Richard.
 

And finally . . .

 
“I think another interest of mine in theatre and music has also helped – I was a late bloomer taking on acting at 25 but I’ve done loads of acting as far afield as Cardiff and done work as an extra for film and TV work. I love singing and have also proud of the choir I set up called Choirs For Good and which is going from strength to strength at the HaverHub in Haverfordwest.”
 
“These non-sporting interests have limited my own sporting involvement on a regular basis but I definitely have a wonderful alternative on ‘Pure West Radio’ and a very understanding partner in Helen: when an opportunity to put my sports kit comes around. We play a social indoor hockey once a month together too.”
 
“I firmly believe that Pembrokeshire Sport is amazing and we are lucky to have so many people on and off the field in a whole range of sports from archery to youth rugby who show total commitment.
 
“I didn’t really know just how much was going on and I am thrilled to play my small part in such a huge range of sports now!”
 
Editor’s Note: Tom plays down his part but we at ‘PembrokeshireSport.co.uk’ can say with certainty that Tom Dyer has become another cog in the county’s sporting wheel and long may he continue to be involved in our top local radio station!