THE WELSH Disabled Swim Squad's youngest member smashed his personal best time to bring home a gold medal from his first national competition.

Ten-year-old partially-sighted swimmer James Ball - who was only picked for the team in January - won the 50m freestyle event at the British Championships in Darlington in 45.12 seconds.

His qualifying time for the competition had been 56 seconds. Proud mum Sarah said: "I cried and cried when he won. I really couldn't believe it. His race was one of the last, but all the waiting was worth it. I saw him start, then I couldn't watch it all. He was going hell-for-leather and my eyes were filling with tears. All of us in the building were shouting and screaming and the whole thing was fantastic."

James, a Llanyrafon Junior School pupil from Candwr Lane, Ponthir, was chosen to represent Wales after starting training with the Gwent Dragon Sports Club for disabled athletes.

Despite being diagnosed with achromatopsia, a lack of cones in his retinas, which means he is blinded by sunlight and other bright lights, he learnt to swim at the age of six and excelled in the pool.

James was one of a clutch of winners, as the squad as a whole brought back 29 gold, 31 silver and 18 bronze medals. They also broke three world records. Mrs Ball added: "There were only 16 swimmers in the whole team, but they all gave 100% and more."