Honor Morton, 18, an ex-pupil of Chetwynde School in Barrow, competed for Deaf Team GB at the inaugural European Deaf Youth Games, held in Hanover, Germany, and secured second place in the under-19 women’s 800m.
She said: “Despite only being in Germany for such a short period of time, I really enjoyed being immersed within an environment that was very high level and I loved immersing myself within the deaf culture.
“It is the first time I have ever interacted and competed with fellow deaf people and athletes.
“It’s an experience I’ll treasure forever.”
Honor was supported in Germany by her parents and twin sister Gretta, who collected 15 letters of encouragement from friends and family for her to read upon arrival in Hanover.
She said: “It was such a special gesture and I’ll keep those letters forever.
“I really felt all the support from so many different people which gave me such a good boost of added extra motivation for race day.
“I felt so much support behind me and it really did inspire me to go out there and race fearlessly.
“I can’t thank everyone who contributed to my fundraising enough.
“I was very humbled indeed by the kindness shown by local businesses, schools, charities and individuals and I’m so very grateful.”
Her family described the experience as one of their proudest.
They said: “From the age of nine, when Honor first began her athletics journey, she dreamed of one day representing Deaf Team GB.
“She set herself a clear goal: to achieve the qualifying standards, learn everything she could about deaf sport, train tirelessly, and remain fully committed to her ambition.
“Seeing Honor compete so brilliantly in her Team GB kit, and then watching her stand on the international podium with a silver medal around her neck, was one of the proudest moments our family has ever experienced.
“We have always been immensely proud of Honor and everything she has accomplished, but what stood out most during this experience was the way she embraced being part of the deaf athletics community.
“She was a wonderful role model for younger deaf athletes, carrying herself with calmness, confidence and maturity throughout the competition, all while wearing a smile from start to finish.
“It made us incredibly proud of the young woman and athlete she has become.”
They reflected on the “heartwarming” moment Gretta was first to embrace her sister as she crossed the finish line, sharing feelings of “pure joy and achievement”.
Honor said she was especially pleased with her composure and race strategy on the day.
She said: “Tactically, I am proud of how calm I stayed in the build up to the race and during the race.
“It would have been so easy to get caught up in the moment, and let the adrenaline take over.”
Honor followed her plan and found herself in line for a medal.
She said: “Once I was in that position, I was not going to let it go, thinking ‘I can do this…anything can happen in a final!’
“I knew with 300m to go that I still had lots of energy to push for a good finish.
“All I was thinking as I drove down the home straight was ‘I want that silver medal now that it’s within my grasp!’.
“I am so pleased I was able to keep my tactical head switched on in the most important event I have ever competed in.”
Honor spoke fondly of the time spent with her teammates and enjoyed “so many special moments” during the trip.
She said: “We all bonded really quickly in such a short space of time and created some amazing memories despite the intense competition schedule.
“There was a special feeling amongst the group and staff members that we were representing Youth Deaf GB at the first ever European Deaf Youth Games!
“I’m hungry for more and excited to see what the future holds.”
Looking ahead, Honor has set her sights on qualifying for the 2029 Deaflympics in Athens.
She said: “The next three years are very much centred around qualifying for the Deaflympics and form the basis of my motivation in training and competing.”
The young athlete expressed thanks from “the bottom of my heart” to friends, family, and everyone who messaged or donated to show their support.
Honor said: “Without all of you it would not have been possible.
“I honestly couldn’t have asked for a more special GB debut; thank you everyone, please don’t underestimate the impact you have had on my journey and the impact you have made on my mission to raise deaf awareness. ”