Gwynedd’s Nick Thomas has won a gold medal at the World Para-Archery Championships in South Korea.

The 47-year-old from Talysarn in Dyffryn Nantlle represented Britain in the competition in Gwangju, winning the category for people with visual impairments.

Nick has a condition called Stargardt Macular Dystrophy and is registered blind.

He works as a development officer with the North Wales Society of the Blind in Bangor.

Nick said: “You see number one and you think, ‘I’ve come out on top!’ They announce your name and call you world champion and everyone applauds and you see the gold medal and you think, 'This is for me! I'm the one getting this!'

“It's euphoric; your blood is pumping; your heart is beating; everything comes together.

“You get a shock when you get the medal around your neck and notice how heavy it is, how much it shines. It's an unforgettable experience.”

Nick, who is married to Marie and dad to Cadi and Hari, said: "I've never felt anything like it before. It's like all the emotions hitting you at the same time.

“You feel happy; you feel like a lot of pressure has been lifted off your shoulders. For some strange reason, you also feel sad and sick!”

After having a quiet moment to himself, Nick said what came to his mind was: "I've worked hard for it, especially over the last six months. I put everything into it - and it's paid off."

Nick arrived back home from South Korea after almost two days of traveling.

He said: "My wife, the children, and my mother were delighted with my accomplishment. I don't think it has sunk in at all.

“One of the villagers had decorated the whole house with bunting and the Welsh flag. It was a nice surprise to be welcomed home like a hero!"

Despite his disability, Nick considers himself very lucky.

He said: “I feel that I have been incredibly lucky to represent my country in three different sports - athletics, football, and archery.

“I have travelled around the world seeing places, all because I was unlucky enough to have a visual impairment."

Nick has competed in Europe, North and South America, and Asia.

He said: "Certainly I would never have been able to do these things without the visual impairment. I feel that I have been lucky to be unlucky."

Nick would like to thank everyone who has supported him over the years.

“Getting messages from everyone filled me with confidence before I went away but also added a little bit to the feeling of pressure on my shoulders.

“I am very grateful for all the support.”

He described South Korea as a very friendly place but said that the competition was “fierce” with everyone at the top of their game.

Archery is very popular there and is one of the national sports.

Nick's brother-in-law, Tom Hutton, was his spotter in South Korea, a person who accompanies the shooter to explain where the arrow has landed.

Nick now intends to take a short break before preparing for his next big challenge, the European Para-Archery Championships, which will take place in Rome next year.

He said: "I want to be world champion and European champion at the same time – that’s the next plan.”