A Spalding man who is competing for Great Britain in the European Transplant and Dialysis Sports Championships in Italy has already landed his first medal.
Sam Newton (37) says he’s representing his country in honour of the person of the same age who passed away so he could receive a kidney and pancreas.
He himself needed one due to the type one diabetes he’s had since he was three-years-old.
The keen archer and volleyballer also agreed to take part in the badminton competition and finished as the runner-up in the singles tournament on the Italian island of Sardinia.
His stint in the doubles didn’t go quite so well and they failed to pick up a win.
But Sam is going for gold in the archery later on this week, a sport he regularly represents his country in.
Pulling on the Great Britain vest to compete in a foreign country has been a proud moment.
“It’s always a great feeling,” he said from Italy. “Getting on the plane and joining a team picture has been a brilliant experience.
“It’s great to win that first medal.
“The one I really want is the gold and I will be going for that in the archery.”
In the semi-finals of the badminton Sam beat a Russian competitor 15-4, 15-6.
“I took it easy on him to be honest,” Sam admitted. “Nobody wants to come all that way there and get beat.
“I knew I was going to win in the warm up as he wasn’t getting many back over the net in that.
“The final was against a big German and he was very good.
“I’m a big lad and he was able to hit the line so had me running everywhere.
“But badminton is not my main sport. Put me on a volleyball or archery court and I know exactly where I am.”
Sam was hoping to play in the volleyball team as well, however sadly only Britain and Italy entered so that competition is not going ahead.
The teaching assistant crowd-funded the money he needed to travel and received donations from a number of South Holland district councillors.
He also has free use of Spalding’s 1life Castle Sports Complex for training.
“I’d previously been apprehensive about my trip,” Sam said. “Fundraising had been going ok but I was a significant amount short still.
“I was carrying an amount of guilt because of my mother was paying for my trip.
“The very generous donation from South Holland district councillors means that I can fully commit to the competition and not have any distraction or worries, other than my opponents.
“I’m so grateful and will do my very best for my country and the memory of my donor, without whom I wouldn’t be able to do this, or maybe even be alive to write about it.”
