Paralympic archer aims advice at pupils

DANIELLE meets students, back left to right, Hannah Evans, Zavina Lodhi, Nathan Long, Sophie Haughton. Front: Daniel Izevbigie, Danielle Brown, Abdul Mahmood

STUDENTS at Oasis Academy Oldham were urged to go for gold when paralympic archer Danielle Brown MBE visited the school on Tuesday, June 7.

The 28-year-old, who won gold in the 2008 Beijing and London 2012 Paralympic Games, spoke to students in Year 7, 10 and 11 on a range of topics including overcoming adversity, tackling exam stress and achieving your goals.

Danielle has suffered from complex regional pain syndrome since the age of 11, a condition which leaves her in constant pain and affects her mobility.

Students at the school in Hollinwood listened as she explained how focusing on sport helped her manage the condition and led her to represent Great Britain in two paralympic games.

Stress

Danielle, who now runs two businesses and works as an inspirational speaker, said: "I use sports psychology strategies to teach students how to perform well, how to control their nerves and and how to put in a great performance, strategies which work really well in education.

"The students today have been great and I hope they have learned ways to manage their stress and boost their confidence."