CLAIRES Court School senior girl and keen canoeist Georgia Carmichael has been awarded £1,000 from SportsAid Bucks and attended a sporting lunch to receive her award from Dame Katherine Grainger.

With her own sights now set on the 2024 Olympics, Carmichael was inspired to hear words of wisdom from Britain’s most decorated female Olympic athlete.

Starting out in the sport at just 10 years old, Carmichael has already been selected for the British Canoeing English National Talent Squad (ENTS), meaning that she is earmarked to compete on the world stage and, hopefully someday, at the Olympics.

She is already on track after becoming Under-14 Girls National Sprint Champion at Nottingham National Regatta and National Marathon Champion at Reading in 2016.

Carmichael will use her donation towards the travel costs involved with competing and a new boat bag.

The money may also help towards buying a new changing tent at Longridge Canoe Club after their last one got blown away by Storm Doris.

The young canoeist’s commitment to the sport was what impressed the SportsAid trustees, particularly with her two-hour training regime most days.

At the lunch, Carmichael said: “My headmaster has been really supportive as he understands how sporting success can lead to academic achievement. He even gave me time off today to collect my award.

“Despite training nearly every day, I still want to do well at school.”

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