A WINCHESTER student and Paralympian has won a prestigious award.

Adam Knott, who studies at Peter Symonds College, is joint-winner of the Association of College’s (AoC) Student of the Year Award.

It caps off a memorable year for Adam, who is visually impaired, after he represented Great Britain in Goalball in the London games.

The competition celebrates outstanding achievement while winners must also have made a significant contribution to their college or community.

Adam, 17, of Chandler’s Ford, said: “It is amazing. This event is absolutely enormous and positive. To be joint winner is brilliant. I wasn’t aware that my college had put me forward, so it was a shock when I found out.

“I was competing in Italy and I got a call from my mum, who said my tutor wanted to talk to me. I was a little bit worried for a moment.”

His tutor Rachel Platt said: “Adam has performed at the highest possible sporting level for his country. He was the leading scorer for the team and he has been a superb Ambassador for the sport.

“He kept up with all his academic work at college and he is also a very high-achieving musician.”

Principal Neil Hopkins added the college was proud of Adam.

Adam’s fellow winner was Adam Gemili, a sprinter who studied at Barking and Dagenham College.