LINCOLNSHIRE star Hollie Arnold said she felt "amazing" after becoming a world champion.
The former Holton-le-Clay athlete won javelin gold at the IPC World Championships in Lyon, France.
Arnold, 19, threw a new personal best of 37.45m to take the F46 category title.
She said: "I feel amazing. I'm lost for words really.
"I've had a lot of struggles in the last few months with glandular fever, but I came back stronger and that's what the best athletes do.
"I was confident going into it, but you can't be too confident because you don't know what the other athletes are going to come out and throw.
"But I'm really happy to come away with the gold."
Arnold, a former Cleethorpes AC competitor and an ex-pupil of Cordeaux School in Louth, now lives in South Wales.
Her mother, Jill, could not contain her excitement when she found out about the medal success.
She explained: "I was following the action from my home using a live results service and video stream on the internet.
"I started celebrating when I saw the result. There was myself, my neighbour, Hollie's best friend and her mum all in my house – and we started screaming when she won.
"The rest of the street must have thought we had gone mad.
"She has worked so hard for it and we are all very proud.
"She has had such a tough year so far. After suffering with glandular fever – and a low thyroid problem which leaves her feeling very tired – she has had to dig very deep.
"She has just carried on and got on with it.
"She also dropped a weight on her hand in training in the run-up to the championships and also had her ankle strapped up – so she was not 100 per cent fit.
"We are all excited to find out what she can do when she is in top condition!
"These are exciting times for Hollie."
Jill believes her daughter's strong mental attitude is partly down to her experience of the Beijing Paralympics back in 2008.
At the time, Hollie was one of the youngest members of Team GB taking part in the Games.
She explained: "She is so confident now and does not let anything faze her.
"Somebody lost her javelins before she was due to compete in Lyon – but she did not panic and it all turned out fine in the end.
"Going to Beijing for a month when she was just 14 taught her a lot of lessons.
"It has helped to mould her into who she is today.
"She had never been away from home before, so to do something like that was a big thing.
"Now, even though she is only 19, there are younger ones in the team who look up to her and are inspired by her."
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