TALENTED disabled swimmer Zac Lacey from the Isle of Wight took part in the first-ever Down syndrome swimming gala to be held in the Balkans — and won a medal.

The 17 year old, of Beech Grove, Ryde, was one of a 13-strong GB team among 14 countries to take part in the inaugural Kosovo International Down Syndrome Gala, held at the Temporan Swimming Club in the Kosovan capital, Pristina.

Zac, supported by the Isle of Wight Council’s talented athletes scheme and ferry company Wightlink, was one of the team’s 15 medal winners from the weekend events.

Over the course of the event, Zac gained three new personal best performances and a bronze medal in one of his favourite events, the 50m butterfly, with a time of 38.76 seconds.

The event was the perfect preparation for Zac, following his recent confirmation of selection on to the GB team travelling to Nova Scotia in Canada for the DSISO World Championships, starting on July 17.