Six Australian athletes with contrasting Olympic journeys shared a common theme with some Launceston students on Tuesday.
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"Becoming an Olympian has not changed me as a person," said Queenslander Alyce Burnett, who competed in canoeing at the 2016 Games and won a K1 world title in 2017.
It was a message universally shared by Tasmanian rowers Meaghan Volker (2016) and Brendan Long (2004 and '08), South Australian beach volleyball player Becchara Palmer (2012), Tasmanian cyclist Matthew Gilmore (2000) and keynote speaker, NSW swimmer Brooke Hanson, who was a gold and silver medallist in Athens (2004).
ELSEWHERE IN SPORT
"It means you are now a member of this awesome, cool club of international athletes and know you are always going to be an Olympian," Burnett added.
"I think we are very lucky to have that."
The athletes were united to speak at an Australian Olympic Change-maker function at the Tasmanian Institute of Sport, sharing their stories with students from schools around Launceston.
"It certainly has not changed me," echoed Long, who grew up in Launceston, went to St Patrick's College, rowed with Tamar and finished fourth in the quad sculls in Beijing.
"You just come back and go on with your normal lives. But it certainly opened doors and helped my coaching career. It's a great feeling to know you're an Olympian because I worked really hard to get there and I'm proud of what I achieved to become part of that club."
Volker, who grew up in Hobart and rowed for Buckingham but now lives in Launceston, said the Olympic experience lasts a lifetime.
"It was a bit of ticking off a box," she said. "I achieved a dream, closed a chapter that I really wanted to finish and thought 'now it's time for a real person's life'.
"Every so often I think 'yeah, I really did that' and if I could do that I can pretty much do anything else I want."
Volker was part of an Australian women's eight that finished fourth in its heat and fifth in the repechage having only trained together for 10 days after replacing a banned Russian crew in Rio de Janeiro.
Formerly known as the Pierre de Coubertin awards, the function was organised by the Australian Olympic Committee and invited schools to nominate students to hear from the distinguished panel.
Riverside High School grade 10 Aprille Crooks said students had to make a video presentation which was judged by a panel at the school with the best selected to attend.
"It's been really good," she said.
"I learned that even though you can get to go to an Olympics it does not change who you are."
The functioned was hosted by Palmer who became an Olympian in London and went on to join Adelaide in the AFLW.
It was the seventh of eight events around the country that seek to unite Olympians with students.
Olympic swimmer takes a breather
It was a two-way street when a roomful of star-struck students met Olympic champion Brooke Hanson in Launceston.
Hailing from numerous schools around the city, the students teamed up at the Tasmanian Institute of Sport headquarters as part of the Australian Olympic Committee's change-maker function.
But the 2004 Olympic gold and silver medallist said the meeting was just as inspiring for her.
"It's just wonderful to share my journey with the change-makers," Hanson said.
"They are doing so much in their community that I get so much from them.
"It's empowering to hear from them as well as share my story about resilience and not giving up.
"I just want to inspire them to never give up on their dreams."
The 41-year-old Gold Coast mother-of-four teamed up with five other Olympians to deliver a shared message at the event.
"It's about striving for excellence and being the best they can be. It's not necessarily about them being future Olympians but being great community-minded people."
Hanson has fond memories of Tasmania having competed in Australian championships at the Hobart Domain and regularly travelling over on the Spirit of Tasmania for popular caravan and camping lifestyle show Discover Down Under.
"I just remember all the amazing produce Tassie has - such beautiful, fresh, organic food," she said.
"And I also remember meeting the people and how passionate they were about sharing the best of what the state has to offer."
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