A DEAF swimmer from South Woodford has won a medal for Great Britain in a thrilling race against the best competition from around Europe.

The pressure was piled on to 25-year-old Daniel Voss at the European Deaf Swimming Championships last month in Germany.

He was the last swimmer in Team GB’s four-man relay team which was being hunted down by a swift Polish outfit in the final of the 4x200m relay race.

The medal hopes of the Britain team rested upon Daniel’s shoulders as he dived into the pool in a bid to thwart the powerful team from east Europe.

The Byron Close resident then had the crowd at the arena in Dortmund on their feet and cheering as he fought off the challenge.

That sealed a bronze medal for Team GB and was a performance fit for the occasion.

Afterwards, Daniel said: “It was a very exciting race with Poland in the next lane to us.

“I was very nervous when I realised I was up against a Polish swimmer who was one of the fastest at the Championships.

“My three teammates had managed to get into third position and I had to hold the place against the Pole. I didn’t want to let the rest of the team down and my nervousness turned into adrenalin.

“I managed the fastest 200 metres of my life.

“The Polish swimmer and a Dutch swimmer were chasing me down, but I managed to hold them off to win the medal.

“It was an amazing experience and I felt very proud to stand with my team mates on the winners’ podium when the flags were raised.”

Jo Voss, his mother, was in the crowd. She told Guardian Series Sport: “I nearly had kittens.

“I was excited obviously, and very pleased as it was a very exciting race.”

Daniel certainly puts in the hours of training to be able to produce such a display on the big stage.

He gets up at 5am three times a week to go swimming at Waltham Pool and Track. After that, he is straight into work at ITV studios in London.

“It’s been difficult to train,” admitted Jo. “He’s had to go out of his way to do the morning swimming. When he was out of work he could do more, and have a sleep in the afternoon.”

Now the South Woodford man has his eyes set on the World Deaf Championships, which take place in Portugal next year.