A HAMPSHIRE teen who was left paralysed after an operation has overcome hardship to win a medal for Great Britain playing wheelchair tennis. 

Andrew Penney netted himself a silver medal at a recent competition in Portugal.

The 17-year-old ranks fourth in the world for junior tennis players following the BNP Paribas World Team Cup. 

Andrew, who studies at Richard Taunton College in Southampton, was left unable to walk after an operation to remove a toenail several years ago.

However, the teenager has since thrown himself back into his passion for sports.

Speaking about the competition earlier in May, he said: “It was a big honour. It's a shame that we couldn’t win gold, but I learned a lot of skills and techniques from the other players.  

“There aren’t a lot of team wheelchair tennis competitions outside of the Paralympics, so I hope to come back and play again for the men's Great Britain side.” 

Andrew said that his college has supported him during his tennis career by providing education in and around his competitions across the world.  

Andrew, from Alresford, has plans to continue training and is expected to compete later next month in tennis singles in Croatia and Italy before leaving juniors in August after turning 18.

He said: “It’s an unusual feeling moving from top in the juniors to lower in the men. I want to one day ideally go to the Paralympics, but I am taking it step-by-step.” 

Andrew said that his current dream is to get into the top 80 male wheelchair tennis players by the end of this year.  

His mum, Linda said she “couldn’t be more proud” of him, adding: “I am excited for him. He continues to surprise me.

"The person he is now compared to who he was at the peak of his deterioration. How could I not be proud of him representing our country?” 

She said that Andrew was helped by a local charity, Ralph's Footprint, Hampshire Outdoors, and regularly trains at David Lloyd in Southampton. 

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