AN OLYMPIC athlete inspired a group of students from two schools in Basingstoke when he talked to them about his career in bobsleighing.

Will Golder, who narrowly missed out on a place in the GB team for this year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, spoke to students from Fort Hill Community School and Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College at the community school, in Kenilworth Road.

Students from the two schools were treated to the visit as Betty Elkins is headteacher for Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College and interim headteacher for Fort Hill Community School.

The 25-year-old driver for Team GB spoke to students about the sport, and showed the keen audience videos of some of his favourite bobsleigh tracks around the world and also showed some of the risks that are associated with the sport.

Will first got involved with the sport after he went on a college trip to Calgary in Canada during his last year and then joined the Jersey Bobsleigh Club. The athlete then trained hard while at university and was selected for the Great Britain team in 2008.

Among the groups of students treated to the presentation from the athlete were gifted and talented physical education students from both schools, and Year 10 GCSE PE students from Fort Hill.

The whole of Year 7 from the Winklebury school were also given the chance to hear about Will’s successful career as a reward for their good behaviour.

Will said: “It is nice to give a little bit back. If I can say to one person to take an opportunity, and it can be anything, it has worked.”

Julia Bray, head of PE at Fort Hill Community School, added: “This gives the children something to aspire to, and to hear there are opportunities to grasp.

“There are quite a lot of children that could get into county teams, but they don’t have that push at home, and it is about giving them confidence and self-belief.”

The visit marked part of the school’s involvement in Sport Relief.