Mid Sussex triumphed the fourth BAA Gatwick Sussex Youth Games for the first time.

But most of their 100-strong team will only find out they have won the county's biggest ever multi-sports event at Crawley when they read this report.

Borough co-ordinator James Rouse said: "There were only a handful of athletes left when the presentations took place because the rest were tired and parents had to take them home."

But Rouse revealed there are provisional plans for a celebration at The Triangle, Burgess Hill, on July 7.

He said: "We want to celebrate properly and for me it would be a touching occasion because it's my last time in charge of the team. I'm off to pastures new as a PE teacher in Singapore.

"What the youngsters have done is awesome. It is very exciting and a little overpowering."

Mid Sussex were first or second in seven events of the nine sports which involved more than 2,000 competitors aged between eight and 13 years old.

They won the boys basketball and able-bodied swimming, were joint first in rugby with Hastings and second in girls' basketball, boys with moderate learning difficulties football, disability swimming and mixed hockey.

Rouse emphasised the event was more than just about the winning as he related the story of swimmer Scott Mighall, 10, a Blackthorns pupil from Lindfield and a member of the Haywards Heath Club.

He said: "I spoke to Scott before he swum and he was petrified. It was his first ever race. Selections for the Games are capped to give the kids who haven't competed much a chance.

"But when he got out of the pool after finishing second in his race he was buzzing.

It wasn't just that he collected a gold medal with the swimming team, but just the experience.

"It was a typical reaction. The enthusiasm was fantastic."

Mighall said: "I was nervous before I swam but it was so exciting at the end. I enjoyed it and I got to talk to swimmers from the other teams. I want to carry on racing now."

There were also the special needs swimmers and moderate learning difficulties footballers from Newick House School (Burgess Hill).

Rouse said: "It is a special school which has a huge focus on developing confidence. They had about 11 pupils involved and the school made a big fuss of them at assembly. Those kids were beaming."

The girls basketball team finished runners-up to Rother thanks to the help of a school caretaker.

Rouse said: "The team is made up of pupils from St Paul's in Haywards Heath and is run by caretaker Jim Rutherford. He is so bashful about his role but the girls really responded to his coaching. In fact, all the team managers were a massive inspiration."

Imberhorne (East Grinstead) pupil Henry Day, 12, is dreaming of making the Paralympics following success in the disability swimming at 50m butterfly, backstroke and freestyle after being persuaded to compete by his mum Lorraine, who is coach at East Grinstead Swimming Club.

Former hockey ace Rouse, who competed in national county finals, added: "Compared to anything I've done, the Games was the biggest feelgood event I've been involved in. I had goosebumps when I was watching the kids compete. It wasn't just about being successful. Our table tennis team were last but had a great time."

Brighton and Hove have already set their sights on top spot next year after securing runners-up spot overall.

Co-ordinator Matt Gooderham said: "We'd have been happy with a top-six finish. Second has far exceeded our expectations, but we now have the confidence to go out and try and win the whole thing next year."

The Seagulls Specials, affiliated to Albion, collected another award for the club in an all-conquering centenary year by winning the boys' moderate learning difficulties football.

Dorothy Stringer pupil Tom Bassam, the 12-year-old son of Lord Bassam, helped the B and H mixed hockey team to fourth place with some mean goalkeeping.

Gooderham said: "Tom only let in one goal throughout the whole tournament and that was in the play-off for third and fourth place."

Sarah Russo, seven-year-old sister of county junior Katie, helped lead the borough's tennis team to a gold medal.

Finn McNally, Louise Akohurst, Joe Mills and Henry Kent made up the squad. B and H were third at netball and fourth in the mixed hockey, able-bodied swimming and rugby.

Crawley finished third. They won three silver medals in table tennis, able-bodied swimming and boys' basketball. Crawley were third in the disability swimming and mixed hockey.

Deerswood Special School, who represented Crawley in the disability swimming and teach children with moderate learning difficulties, had to leave before the presentation ceremony.

But Carol Gillam, the teacher in charge, collected the team's medals on the competitors' behalf. She said: "They are delighted. They posed with them for The Argus photographer butwill officially receive the medals at a ceremony on Friday."

Horsham took the mixed hockey and netball titles and Worthing won the disability swimming and the girls' football, Arun the mixed athletics and Adur the table tennis.

Eastbourne claimed the Fairplay Award for their sportsmanship.

Thirteen teams, representing each of the county's local authorities, competed at Crawley Leisure Centre and Thomas Bennett Community College.

Steve Smith, the British Olympic high jumper and the only Englishman to win medals in the event at both the Olympics and World Championships, presented medals and trophies.

He said: "It was a brilliant day. I was impressed with the commitment. Early participation is often the key to cultivating a lifelong love of sport."

All the county's local authorities, Adur, Arun, Brighton and Hove, Chichester, Crawley, Eastbourne, Hastings, Horsham, Lewes, Mid-Sussex, Rother, Wealden and Worthing, were there.