Olympian is a splash hit

life lessons learned by an Olympic swimmer were passed on to pupils at Mirfield Free Grammar School this week.

Olympian and British record holder Chris Cook visited the school yesterday to launch Be The Best You Can Be, an Olympic-inspired programme to empower and encourage young people to fulfil their potential.

MFG vice principal Neal Packard said: “Chris delivered a tremendously inspirational speech, telling the students about his journey to success and how they can all achieve something successful in school and beyond.

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“He talked about having goals and a focus, determination and hard work, and taking responsibility for your own actions and achievements.

“He also stressed the importance of resilience, bouncing back when things go wrong, and this seemed to be an aspect the kids particularly picked up on.

“There was a fantastic buzz about the place. The students absolutely loved it – and so did Chris.”

After delivering his speech to the school’s new starters, Chris, who competed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, held a question-and-answer session, then led a workshop where pupils discussed how the themes from his address could be applied to their school careers.

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Be The Best You Can Be is a national initiative established by former Olympic gold medallist David Hemery CBE.

MFG principal Lorraine Barker said: “I was determined our school would be one of the first to undertake the programme as it begins to roll out nationally. The inspiration offered by Olympians is incredibly powerful.”