OLYMPIC rower Paul Bennett MBE visited Terrington Hall School to talk about what qualities make a champion

Paul, 28, who grew up in Leeds, said he did not start rowing until he was 19 and it was only because his mother told him to that he did.

He said: “You don’t have to be gifted or have an incredible skill set, you just have to keep going when everyone else gives up.”

Paul added that like most people when they are young, and even when they’re older, he believed that things like winning an Olympic medal happened to other people.

“But it’s not true - ultimately, you just have to make the decision you’re going to do it and push through it,” he added

“It’s completely healthy and normal to doubt yourself. I wanted to quit all the time. What you have to have is the tenacity to keep going.”