First ever British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships takes place this weekend in Crawley

ITV News Correspondent Martin Stew reports on the first-ever British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships

The first-ever British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships will take place this weekend in Crawley.

The competition will be a first for athletes who are currently not represented in the Paralympics.

More than 130 swimmers, aged between 10 and 50 years will compete in the pool across 44 events.

Zac Lacey, from the Isle of Wight, won gold at the world championships in Portugal last month and is hoping for more success this weekend.

• Zac Lacey said he wants to replicate what he did in Portugal.

One of the 135 swimmers competing is Kent's very own Jemima Rudd-Jones, who's hoping to become British champion.

In the butterfly technique, she's already the world champion and she said will probably win another medal this weekend in Crawley.

Neil Lacey, Chair, Down Syndrome Swimming GB, said: "We hope this is the showcase of British swimming, for Down Syndrome's swimmers.

"We hope that the event will show that the category which they are currently in, is probably not where they should be. We would like to see them in a fairer class which covers their physical disability as well.

"We still like the fact that they can compete but we're not getting at that Paralympic level."