Tennis ace Zara Jurenko's double gold at the Special Olympics European Summer Games carried an extra poignancy.
The 23-year-old from Kirby Muxloe travelled to Poland for the event and met other members of her family for the first time.
Jurenko said: "I met a cousin, Paul, on my dad's side for the very first time and another cousin, Dominica, was there as well. They saw me win the medals, which made it an extra-special trip."
Jurenko, who defeated players from the host country, Kazakhstan and Germany to take the women's singles title said: "It was tough against the Polish girl because every time I hit the ball out, there was a cheer."
Jurenko said she was grateful to the Oaks tennis club and the university in Loughborough for giving her the chance to practise on clay courts ahead of the Special Olympics.
She said: "We knew we would be playing outdoors on clay and it's not a surface I'm that familiar with, so to get some practice over here was very important,"
Jurenko then teamed up with Michael Clarke, of Nottingham, to take the mixed doubles with indoor victories against pairings from Hungary, Switzerland and Germany.
"I was going to play in the women's doubles but my partner was injured so I took part in the mixed for the first time and it went really well,'' she said.
Jurenko admitted to feeling under the weather throughout the tournament as a flu bug swept the GB camp, and she had to miss out on a reception to honour the athletes.
She said: "I was in bed at 7.30pm and I'm still a bit poorly now but it's been worth it."
She also said the opening ceremony was a thrilling occasion, with special guest Mick Hucknall, from the band Simply Red.
"I didn't know who he was but my mum and dad did.
"It was a great experience and it's such a proud feeling to represent your country, particularly when you are abroad."