A team of young people from the Lancaster District is back home celebrating a haul of 85 medals at the International Youth Games.
The team took part in the Games in Almere, Netherlands, over the past week - the first since 2019 due to the Covid pandemic.
Thirty-six young people from our local area competed in athletics, rowing and swimming and brought back 33 gold medals, 31 silver and 21 bronze.
Lancaster also had a team of dancers who trained with the other cities for a performance in the opening ceremony and there was also a theatre production during the closing ceremony.
The Games are due to be held in Lancaster next year.
Photos are courtesy of the International Youth Games - Lancaster, Facebook page.
Chris Haggan, secretary of the Lancaster International Youth Games Committee, said: "When we first arrived in Almere there were a lot of nervous people, not knowing what to expect in the coming days.
"They settled in quickly and had a fantastic week of sport and culture, and made many new friends. They are looking forward to meeting up with their new friends when Lancaster hosts the Games in 2023.
"Since 2017, the Lancaster team has been led by a volunteer team, and with no funding from local government. Our main supporters in the past have been Sport Lancaster, and the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent fund (funding is not available from the Duchy in 2023). But the volunteer team have pledged the Games will go ahead in 2023 in Lancaster."
Councillor Joyce Pritchard, mayor of Lancaster, joined the team on the trip to the Netherlands.
Lancaster competes at the Games against its twin towns; the others being Almere, Rendsburg in Germany and Aalborg in Denmark.
The committee is made up of local sports leaders who came together to keep Lancaster involved in the Games after Lancaster City Council withdrew funding in 2016.
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