A former Chester pupil, is chasing his Olympic dream this summer in Paris.
Harry Brightmore, previously a student at King's School, has joined Team GB's Olympic rowing squad and is set to compete as cox in the Men's VIII
The rising star left King’s in 2012 to study at Oxford Brookes University.
Known for his success in the water, Mr Brightmore notched double victories at both European and World Championships and now has his sights set on an Olympic medal.
Besides sporting his old King’s hat during GB training, Mr Brightmore even named his dog Chester, a nod to his hometown.
When news broke of his Olympic selection, Mr Brightmore said: "It’s a childhood dream to be selected for the Olympics and that dream started 16 years ago at King’s.
"There are lessons I learned there that I will be taking with me to Paris."
The King's School has been a training ground for rowing talent since 1883, with young athletes training on the River Dee.
Recently, it extended its rowing programme to other schools under the Chester Schools Together partnership, funded by the Westminster Foundation.
This initiative allowed students from Chester Catholic High School, The Bishops’ Bluecoat School, and Blacon High School to learn and train in rowing.
Reflecting on the partnership's success and future potential, David Blackham, director of rowing at The King's School, highlighted the achievements of his young trainees.
He said: "Through the partnership, more than 40 young people have been introduced to the sport this year and I have spotted some real potential on the water.
"More than that, I have enjoyed watching the young athletes – all in Year 8 – grow in confidence and seeing them work as a team to achieve a common goal.
"The programme is set to grow next year, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds."
As Mr Brightmore gears up for the Olympics, he recognises the grueling journey ahead.
In a conversation with his former school, he said: "It’s an incredible feeling!
"To have reached this point means everything to me, but I still feel the pull of the epic challenge ahead, and as a team we cannot settle.
"We face the toughest block of training yet over the next month so we can sit on the start line in Paris knowing we are about to put out the performance of a lifetime."
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