Paralympic legend and Marlovian Naomi Riches won cheers and applause when she visited school pupils last Friday.

The gold medal-winning rower spoke to around 250 students at The Highcrest Academy, in High Wycombe.

Naomi, who is registered blind, was there in her role as a consultant for Thomas International, a Marlow firm that provides psychometric assessment and solutions to help develop people, teams and cultures.

Naomi, who studied at Buckinghamshire New University, told students of her journey to reach the top – going from no rowing experience to winning a gold medal at Dorney in the London 2012 Paralympics.

She also told of her subsequent struggles to stay in the team following the rise of other rowers.

She said: “I haven’t been to Highcrest before although I have been to many schools in the area. It’s welcoming and warm and has a sense of wanting to achieve.

“I have been asked some amazing questions by the students, not only in terms of gold medals and sport but in how they can apply all of this to their own goals and ambitions.”

Student Kaelan Oldham, 16, said of her visit: “It was extremely inspiring to be honest. It just highlights how hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”