A basketball player from Gorleston will be representing Great Britain at a masters world championship tournament in Florida next summer.

James Borg, 36, won bronze with Great Britain's Over-35s squad at the XI FIMBA Basketball European Championship in Malaga earlier this month.

The victory secured the team's placement at a masters world championship set to take place in Florida next year.

Mr Borg said: "It has been an amazing journey, and I can't wait to be on the court in Florida."

Mr Borg began playing the sport at the age of 11 and played throughout his time as a student at Norwich's Notre Dame High School before competing at a national level with the London Pioneers.

Mr Borg said basketball has been a benefit to his life, both on the court and off.

"Not only has the sport kept me fit and healthy, but it has also helped me tremendously with mental health battles," he said.

In 2020, Mr Borg was diagnosed with cyclothymia - which means he suffers from mood changes which can affect his daily life.

Mr Borg said: "I think it's good to push home the real benefits of how important sport can be to people of all ages.

"And there's such a huge community for basketball in Great Yarmouth. And there are a lot of people putting the work in."

In 2014, Mr Borg helped re-establish Great Yarmouth Basketball based at East Norfolk Sixth Form College before leaving in 2019 to take a job at the London School of Basketball.

"Since then, things have gone from one strength to another," Mr Borg said.

"And the masters game is flourishing all around. Great Britain brought 18 teams over to Malaga, and our national 75-year-old team also took home the bronze.

"The level of competition was unreal and I cannot wait to be representing both the country and Norfolk in Florida."

Mr Borg paid tribute to the late sports development officer Jim West, who set him on path to his sporting success in basketball.

He said: "Jim was the one who got me into the sport. His set-up kept me off the streets and it gave me and my friends somewhere to go. He was a real legend for sport in general and he did so much for the young people in the town."

For more information, visit www.gbmasters.org/FIMBAGB