The athletes recently took a break from their Olympic preparations to visit the MOB Academy, a senior secondary school that focuses on empowering young men with the skills, knowledge and confidence to be happy, healthy and successful in life after school.

The visit will be the first of many between the team and school, with the boys planning to follow the results in Paris with the promise of getting out on the water for a paddle when the athletes return from the Games.

Paris 2024 Team Member, Pierre van der Westhuyzen, said: “I think what we're doing here is what winning well means to me.

“It's been awesome to get to know the boys and develop what is essentially a bit of a two-way relationship. We can inspire them with what we're doing, but it's also really important that they can actually inspire us.

“The boys are coming here every single day, making a conscious effort to better themselves and better their situation. And for me personally, there's a lot to take away from that.”

Paddle AUS’ partnership with the MOB Academy is supported by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Community Partnerships Program.

The program connects high performance athletes with community organisations around the country, allowing athletes to experience a wide range of meaningful engagements and explore a new purpose outside of their sporting career.

Follow this link to learn more information about the AIS Community Partnerships Program.