By Isle of Wight Observer
Island swimmer Zac Lacey returned home from the European Down Syndrome Swimming Championships with a haul of eight medals and the honour of being chosen as Great Britain team captain through to the next championship cycle in 2027.
Zac made an early impact at the championships, claiming gold in the 50m (164ft) backstroke before securing fourth place in the 400m (1,312ft) freestyle. Both performances produced new personal bests and set the tone for a successful week in the pool.
His momentum continued with a silver medal in the 50m butterfly, followed by another fourth-place finish in the 200m (656ft) individual medley, where he again achieved a personal best time.
Further success came in the 100m (328ft) butterfly, where Zac added another silver medal to his growing collection. However, the highlight of the competition arrived on day five in the 200m butterfly.
Delivering a superb swim, Zac successfully defended his European title and established a new European age-group record in the process.