ActivCity Team quiz athletes

Edinburgh school pupils met their Olympic heroes after winning a city-wide ActivCity competition.

A team of four – three Edinburgh Academy pupils Robert Wilson (16), Liam Flannigan (16) and Felicity Aslet (15), together with Amy Stuart (15) of Craigmount High – were selected as the winners.

They were given a chance to interview the athletes and were so inspired that they now plan to cycle as a team from Land’s End to John O’Groats next summer to raise money for WaterAid.

Their questions ranged from the best practical joker on the GB team to funny stories from the Olympics, rituals before competing in the events to advice for young, would-be athletes. Kevin Simpson even revealed to them he wanted to be a fireman when he was young, not a top tennis player.

So what did the athletes reveal?

Chris Hoy on his feeling after winning his medals: “It was more the sensation of relief and elation that it’s all over, but it’s been worth it. All the hard work has paid off. It’s an incredible feeling.”

Kirsty Balfour on the Commonwealth Pool: “The Commonwealth Pool is such a great facility to have and it’s been going for so long. It makes a big difference to swimmers who train there to have it in the city.”

Stephen Dick on his university: “In Edinburgh there are world-class hockey facilities and Edinburgh University has invested in great surfaces which is really helping move hockey forward.”

Sarah Clark on why she moved to Edinburgh aged 18: “There were just two places in the UK that had the facilities for judo. I chose Edinburgh. We have the talent in Edinburgh for judo to take us all the way to the 2012 Olympics.”