Blue Coat was honoured to host three-time Olympic gold medallist rower Andrew Triggs Hodge MBE at morning Assembly on Monday, 26th September.

Triggs Hodge, who won gold medals at the last three Olympiads, talked with pride about the fact that the UK’s 67 medals, including 27 golds, at Rio “exceeded our expectations of what we could achieve, especially after our success in London.” This was, in fact, the first time that a country has increased its medal count in the Olympiad following the one they had hosted.

“People often ask me what it takes to be an Olympic champion,” the rower said. “I have  absolutely no idea”. Triggs Hodge, in fact, came rather late to rowing. Having played rugby at school, he was looking for a new sport to try at Staffordshire University, when a friend suggested rowing, so he decided to give it a go. “That tiny decision unequivocally changed my life,” he said.

According to the Olympian, the most important factors that go into being a competitor at this level are training, compromise and attitude. “When it comes to training, you have to work hard – there’s no getting around that,” he said. “The more you commit to something in life, the more you have to give up elsewhere – that’s the compromise you have to make”.

“If you head into life with a good attitude”, he continued, “you’ll break down barriers. If you’re part of a team and have the right attitude, you will unlock things about yourself. Working together, you’ll find the best options, and if you commit to those options, you’ll find yourself excelling.”

Headmaster Mr Elzinga, who met the rower at Oxford, and is a personal friend, said: “It was a joy to host a local Olympic hero. I hope all the young people will learn from his inspiring words about hard work, attitude and teamwork”.