MINEHEAD student Daniel Weston is proving to be an inspiration to fellow members of Minehead and West Somerset Swimming Club after recording his own personal best summer of sport.

While the UK was basking in Olympic and Paralympic glory, Daniel, 20, was taking the plunge, overcoming his own disability to secure a host of medals and personal best times.

Daniel, who is a student at Foxes Academy, is autistic and swims as a S14 athlete in multi-disciplinary British disability points events.

He came away from the ASA South West Region Disability Swimming Championships with silver medals in the 100 metres individual medley and 100 metres breaststroke and won a coveted gold medal in the 100 metres butterfly.

He also delighted his supporters by improving his 100 metres freestyle time by just over seven seconds to 1:14:50 and his 100 metres butterfly time by just over eight seconds to 1:23:10.

Daniel has been a member of the Minehead and West Somerset Swimming Club for a year, having previously trained with Crediton Swimming Club.

His coach Colin Christmas was full of praise for the young swimmer: "Daniel thoroughly deserves his success in sport and we share his delight at improving and winning medals.

"He always gives 100 per cent and is a great example to others.

"He is a pleasure to work with and we are hopeful that such a commitment to training will bring him more success in 2013."

And as well as being a first class swimmer - and an Olympic torchbearer - Daniel also completes in British cycling disability races and finished first and third in two events at a special Olympics competition earlier in the year.

He finished fourth in a season-long national time trial competition - which won by the current world time trial champion!

Proud mum Radmilla said: "We are immensely proud of Daniel and what he has achieved so far in this life given the considerable and complex disability that he has."

Minehead and West Somerset Swimming Club members train at the Butlins' swimming pool on Monday, Tuesday and Friday evenings.

More information is available from secretary and coach Carole Pearse on 01643 704336.

Photo: Steve Guscott