OLYMPIC sprinter Jeanette Kwakye yesterday provided inspiration to pupils at Westcliff High School for Girls.

Kwakye, who reached the final of the 100m at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, came to the school as part of the Sky Living project.

The school introduced the project to some of their less confident Year 10 girls to try to motivate them into becoming more active and self-confident in sport.

Kwakye is one of the ambassadors for Sky Living and came in to spend the day with the girls and talk about her experiences and how sport skills can replicate life skills.

Using the six keys to success – mental toughness, hunger to achieve, people skills, life knowledge, breaking barriers and planning for success – she tried to instil a feeling of self-belief and drive to succeed in the groups.

Ruth Wilkin, head of PE at the school, said: “We were so fortunate to have Jeanette visit our school as she is a truly motivating athlete.

“She is able to connect and empathise with the students whilst pushing them to reflect on their own experiences and how they can use the lessons she has learnt to help them succeed in the future.”

Kwakye also gave a masterclass for some of the school’s gifted and talented athletes.

Through a combination of team games and question and answer sessions, the girls were given an insight into what it is like to be a top British athlete.