Gold medallist fulfils 'dream' to visit old school

Students at Bodmin College described Morgan Bolding's visit as "inspirational"

An Olympic gold medallist has returned to his former college, which he says he owes everything to.

Morgan Bolding, former pupil at Bodmin College, in Cornwall, said he would not be where he was had his school not started its rowing machine club.

The athlete, who won gold at the Paris Olympics in the men's eight, visited his old stomping ground on Wednesday to give a talk to students.

He said: "I don't think I'd be here had that club not started."

'Quite sporty'

Discussing his return to the school, he said it was a "dream".

"I can walk around the whole place with my eyes closed, a lot of it hasn't changed," he said.

"So coming back here is almost as much a dream of mine as the rowing.

"It's the idea that I'm coming back to share what I've done with the place that helped me get there is really incredible for me."

Bolding was first introduced to the sport when Bodmin College invested in a rowing machine.

He said: "A new scheme that was started here was a rowing machine club which gave me the opportunity to try a new sport.

"I was always quite sporty as a kid and loved trying anything I could get my hands on."

'Keenest member'

The Team GB athlete's former PE teacher, Natalie Rawson, said: "In Bodmin College rowing club he was probably one of our keenest members, he used to attend every week.

"He was a student who wasn't one of our most elite students but he just worked really hard and was just really keen."

Current student Leo described the rower's visit as "very inspirational".

He added: "It's inspires me to do whatever I want later on in life."

Fellow student Serena added: "I found it really inspiring as I want to go to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics for 800m in triathlon."