A MAN from Glasgow has won a bronze medal at this year's Parkinson's Table Tennis World Championships.

Brian Carson from Cardonald is part of a group of players who represented Scotland at the tournament in Berlin.

The group formed of Scottish-based players who live with Parkinson's disease includes Brian Carson (Glasgow), Leona Braund (Ayrshire), Joy Paul (Ayrshire), Gary Laing (Aberdeen), and Stuart Robb (Fife).

They have attended sessions at the Knightswood Table Tennis Club, Drumchapel Table Tennis Club as well as South Ayrshire and Ayrshire clubs.

Players starred on the big stage as the event got underway on the weekend of September 10.

The group competed alongside people from home nations and others from as far as Chile, Germany, and the USA at the Horst-Korber-Sportzentrum.

And they didn't come home empty-handed with Brian winning a bronze medal in the men's doubles playing alongside Christoph Feryberg from Germany and Leona sealing a bronze medal in the women's singles.

Brian, 59, from Cardonald was diagnosed with Parkinson’s four years ago in June 2017.

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He said: "I took up Table Tennis in July because someone in the Glasgow group who had just joined mentioned the Ayrshire Table Tennis group and their sessions for people with Parkinson's.

"I went along and picked it up fairly quickly. I got to a point where they invited me to the British Table Tennis Championships in St Neots in Cambridgeshire and won the silver medal.

"Winning a silver medal was unexpected but I felt absolutely fantastic and proud. My son and daughter travelled with me to the competition and both helped with social media, photographing and videoing the event so it was great to have them there.

"The messages and good wishes that I have received since have been overwhelming

"So they then asked if I'd be interested in travelling to Germany for the World Championships and it took off from there.

"Once I'd got my place in Germany I started turning up at Knightswood Table Tennis Club's open night on a Wednesday and the coach there spent a lot of time with me.

"I also went to Drumchapel's over-50s on a Tuesday and a Thursday at lunchtime to get some more games in and some coaching and my game just got better and better.

"I've just had a fantastic time. After recent events in my family life, it's just given me something to focus on and it's something I really enjoy doing.

"I'd play every day if I could. The people are great and everyone involved is just so friendly."

He added: “I would recommend table tennis to other people with Parkinson’s for various reasons. It is good for movement and even if you are not very mobile you can still play. There are various levels of ability across the sport and even those who have never played can take it up.

"The social aspect has been great meeting new people. I have been fortunate to work with various coaches and they have all been very patient and strive to help improve my game. Most importantly it is great fun.

"In my Parkinson's journey I clicked on really early that exercise is medicine so I really believe in that. I do think that my Parkinson's would have progressed more if I hadn't gotten into exercise."