HELSTON'S Tracy Carroll has won five medals at the British Transplant Games (BTG) in Liverpool.

She received a kidney transplant from her mum Angela Carroll five and a half years ago and this is her third time attending the BTG.

She said: “Having participated in the World Transplant Games last year, there was a lot of pressure on me to put in a good performance and I’m delighted with my result of three gold and two silver medals in swimming events.

"I entered the games with the Plymouth team consisting of adults who have had a transplant at Derriford Hospital and are mostly from Devon and Cornwall. The team is small but mighty with only seven team members coming home with an impressive 24 medals!”

The British Transplant Games encourages those who have received a transplant to lead active and healthy lives while showcasing the benefits of transplantation. The aim of the charity Transplant Sport (TS) who organize the BTG, is to raise awareness of the need for more people to sign on to the NHS Organ Donor Register. In the UK, 10,000 people are waiting for a life saving transplant, and 3 die each day waiting.

More than 700 athletes from 55 transplant units across the UK who have all received a life saving organ transplant took part. Aged from 2 to 82 they competed in 25 different sports including archery, athletics, golf, squash, snooker, tennis, cycling and swimming. Competition was fierce, but the athletes have already won the race for life – winning a medal is simply a bonus.

Selection for Team Great Britain will take place after these games, and the successful athletes will compete at the World Transplant Games in Spain next year.

1250 supporters turned up to cheer on the athletes over 4 days at the Westfield Health British Transplant Games. The event is managed by Montgomery Leisure Services (MLS), in partnership with the charity Transplant Sport UK (TS).

Chair of Transplant Sport (TS), Andy Eddy, himself a liver transplant recipient, said: "These are truly the friendly Games, demonstrating the success of transplantation, the joy of being alive and the opportunity to give thanks to the Donor families. We encourage everyone to discuss their wishes about organ donation with their families, without which, none of us athletes would be here to compete to the best of our abilities."