AN INSPIRING Wee County woman scooped three medals at a sporting event, less than a year after her double lung transplant.

Lisa Hertwig was competing in five different sports at the British Transplant Games in Glasgow, held between Thursday and Sunday – July 27 and 30.

The brave Alloa 26-year-old battled cystic fibrosis all her life and underwent the life-saving operation at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital last November.

In the category for 18 to 29-year-olds, she came first in the 5k cycle, received bronze medals for her performance in badminton and table tennis and also competed in 10-pin bowling and a 5k walk.

She told the Advertiser that it was a memorable experience, saying: “It was really good, it was actually quite nice to meet other people who have had transplants and to hear their stories.

“There were also families there who had donated their loved one's organs when they had passed away so it was quite nice for them to see what people were achieving with their new organs.”

Even when she was a young child, Lisa never had the chance to take part and compete until the time she got out of hospital with her new lungs.

One of the first things she did when she got back to Clackmannanshire was to jump on a bicycle and later she also scaled Dumyat.

Lisa added: “To be able to compete in sport, something that I've never been able to do – it was uplifting.

“By the time I finished the cycle I was quite emotional, but it was good having my friends and family cheering on, even though it was raining during some of the cycle.

“The rain managed to go off just before the walk and the sun came out so that wasn't too bad.”

In the lead up to the events, which took place at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility and Strathclyde Country Park, Lisa trained and practised around the local area.

Rather than competing for countries or regions, those entering the games battle to secure medals for the hospital where they received their transplant with Lisa's Team Freeman securing more than 50 accolades this year.

The annual transplant games will take competitors to Birmingham in 2018 and the local woman would love to join the competitions again.

She is also eyeing up the world games in the hopes she can represent Team GB once she is allowed to travel abroad.

Before her transplant, Lisa could not walk and described cystic fibrosis like breathing through a straw.

Since her transplant she had to build her stamina up again, now she is thinking about trying basketball or five-a-side football as these are also sports she could compete in further down the road.

She added: “I know they are quite a bit more vigorous, but I think over time that is something I should be able to manage.”