Harry Fairchild led the GB efforts with a brilliant gold medal at the European Open for athletes with Down’s Syndrome – and there was a bronze for Jenny Turner.

A four-strong GB team, also including Andrew Tonkin and Christopher O’Flinn, competed at the event in Portugal.

And it was Harry who was the star turn, clinching gold in the men’s doubles alongside Joao Goncalves of Portugal.

It was not the first time the duo have had success together, having won bronze at the Trisome Games – the Down’s Syndrome Olympics – last year in Florence.

The two also met in the singles quarter-finals in Porto, and it was Goncalves who triumphed in a fifth-set decider on his way to winning the gold medal in front of a home crowd.

In the team event, Harry, Andrew and Christopher, all from Brighton TTC, came so close to winning a medal, but had to be content with fourth place. Andrew and Christopher were knocked out of the singles in the group stage.

Jenny, who is from Cheshire, also won her medal in the doubles, alongside Conceicao Ribeiro of Portugal.

Brighton TTC’s Tim Holtam, who was part of the support team in Portugal, said:

It was great to have a proper GB team and the level across the whole competition has shot up even since last year. It proves that people with Down’s Syndrome can get really good at table tennis with encouragement and if they are given access to enough time on the table.

The event was covered on Portuguese television, including interviews and footage of the GB contingent – see below.