The founder of an Aberaeron pickleball club has won gold at the English Open in Telford this month.

John Carvell won a gold medal in the men’s singles over-70s category on 8 August.

The English Open is the largest pickleball tournament in the world outside of the US, with 2,348 players attending from 42 different countries.

John Carvell, 70, said: “In the final, my opponent had beaten me in the group stage of six matches, but I figured out a weakness he had on returning deep serves.

“Basically over the moon as last year in the 65s+ category, I had not managed to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition.”

John is known for having established the popular Aberaeron pickleball club in September 2023, after which groups began popping up across Ceredigion in Cardigan, Llandysul, Llangrannog, Lampeter and Aberystwyth.

Pickleball is the gentler cousin to tennis, becoming popular as a mixed-gender, mixed-age and ability sport for all, with the advantage of being an indoor sport that can therefore be played all year round.