AN OLYMPIC athlete visited a Basingstoke school to inspire a group of girls to achieve in sport.

Lesley Owusu worked with 10 girls from Aldworth School after being selected as a mentor through the Sky Sports Living for Sport programme.

Lesley, who won a silver medal in the 200m at the Youth Olympic Games, addressed Year 8 and 9 pupils at Aldworth during an assembly, when she spoke about her successful career.

Lacey Payne, a PE teacher at Aldworth, said: “It was fantastic. It was about the obstacles she’s overcome and how she got to be one of the best.”

Lesley then worked with the selected 10 girls, who were chosen to be mentored by her by their teachers.

Miss Payne said: “We picked pupils who we think will benefit from working with her.

“We picked 10 girls who are really capable but sometimes they don’t apply themselves in the right way. Lesley worked with them for the whole day and she looked at six key areas in sport.”

These included mental toughness, breaking barriers and planning for success.

Miss Payne added: “She showed them how much they could achieve if they apply themselves.”

The 10 girls will now run an after-school club, organising sport activities for their peers, and will also arrange a charity event to be held at the school, in Western Way, before Easter.