Gold medallist inspires Gaywood pupils

Aspiring athletes were put through their sporting paces when their school was visited by a gold-winning British sprinter.

Children of all ages at Gaywood Primary School were inspired by the meeting with retired track and field star James Dadaolu, who became the second fastest Briton of all time in the 2013 British Championships, as well as winning gold in the 100 metres at the 2014 European Athletics Championships.

The former champion, who retired in 2018 after sustaining an injury, held a whole-school assembly at Gaywood, where he spoke about his life and sporting career, as well as answering questions from his young audience.

“The assembly was based upon James’s career, achievements, training regimes, sacrifices made, and highs and lows of his career,” said Aaron Myhill, PE Subject Lead at the school, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust. 

“There was also an opportunity to ask questions at the end.”

Following the talk, the children had a chance to get physical, when Mr Dadaolu took each class in turn through a ten-minute fitness session.

“The workout consisted of spotty dogs, leg drives, full- or half-press ups, and star jumps,” continued Mr Myhill. 

The visit was paid for by money raised by the children, with excess funds going towards new sporting equipment for the school.

“These events are vital for pupil development, as they will gain a better understanding of the sacrifices and training an athlete must go through in order to compete at the highest level,” added Mr Myhill. 

“These opportunities do not come round often, so they must be grasped in the hope of inspiring our future athletes, or just encouraging a love of sport and starting something new that may open a lot of doors for our children.”