IT BEGAN at a Port Stephens community pool and ended with international swimming medals in France.

It has been an incredible journey for Raymond Terrace swimmers Jakob Thomson, Isaac Howells and Gabby Howells.

The high-functioning autistic trio returned home with a swag of medals after representing Sport Inclusion Australia at the Virtus Global Games in France earlier this month.

It was a meritorious achievement by the Stroud Seals Swimming Club sensations who performed with distinction under the guidance of respected local swimming coach Mike Abel in the French State of Vichy.

Based at the Lakeside Leisure Centre in Raymond Terrace, the trio shone in the S19 category individual and relay events, impressing keen judges against the powerful French and New Zealand teams.

Battling a head cold, 17-year-old Thomson defied the odds to clinch gold with 15-year-old Isaac Howells in the four by 50m relay and three silver medals in the competitive relay finals.

That followed Jakob’s four gold medals and a silver for Australia at the Oceania/Asia Games in Brisbane last November.

Isaac also claimed bronze medals in the 400m individual medley and 200m breaststroke while his 19-year-old sibling Gabby recorded personal best times in all her races – grabbing silver in the 400m individual medley and 100m butterfly, bronze in the 1500m freestyle and 200m individual medley and just for fun the 50m breaststroke.

The swimming trio was part of a strong squad of 120 athletes that collected 126 medals including 44 gold in a variety of sports to finish second in the overall tally behind host nation France (188 medals).

A delighted Mr Abel told News Of The Area that “36 countries competed at the prestigious global games and all three Seals did their country proud with spirited performances across all swimming disciplines.”

“They dug deep to secure medals against the best swimmers with an intellectual impairment in the world,” beamed the experienced Abel, who has coached swimmers at the Lakeside Leisure Centre for the past 16 years.

“Each one of the 21 swimmers in the team managed to snare a medal with Australia finishing third in the swimming medal count behind Brazil and France,” he said.

“My swimmers performed admirably despite the trying conditions – we had issues with transport to and from the venue and lunches and dinners were also an issue due to insufficient planning as well as adjusting to the environment as it was still light at 10pm,” said Mr Abel.

“With heats in the morning and finals in the late afternoon the outdoor stainless steel pool and air temperatures climbed into the 30s, which made racing that much harder,” he said.

By Chris KARAS