OLYMPIC swimmer Sharron Davies opened a £1m school pool in Cheshire yesterday.
The ex-Gladiator and Olympic silver medal winner helped unveil the new facility at The Queen’s School, Chester.
The MBE recipient, who now works as a sports commentator and motivational speaker, spoke to pupils during the opening of the pool based at the Lower School site, in Liverpool Road.
Addressing the pupils, she stressed the importance of swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle and encouraged girls to swim regularly, whether they competed or not.
She told guests, who included the Sheriff of Chester, David Hull: “In these days, when so many pools are closing, it is a great pleasure to be opening a facility like this.
“You are lucky to have such a beautiful new pool and it is up to you now to make full use of it.”
The new pool replaces the existing building, which was badly damaged during the gales of 2007.
The original pool was built with funds raised through pupils and parents.
Their fund-raising efforts included growing mushrooms in the cellars of the school and collecting pennies.
Built by James Carroll Limited and designed by Cheshire Architects, the new pool cost just under £1m to complete.
The pool has open views over the school’s playing field and tennis courts.
Guests were invited to watch two demonstration races by the Queen’s Lower School swim team.
Davies first competed for Great Britain in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, aged just 13.
Two years later, she won two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games.
Yesterday, Davies, who went on to win a silver medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, presented a swimming award to Year 6 student Kimberly Meredith.
