Did you know that having the determination and good habits of an Olympic athlete could help you be the best in life AND at school?

The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens was a tremendous success for Great Britain.

Team GB, as Britain’s team of athletes are commonly known, came back from Athens with nine gold, nine silver and twelve bronze medals. This makes a total of 30 medals.

It was the best tally since the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, and we should be proud of every member of Team GB.

We should be especially proud of Kelly Holmes, who achieved two gold medals for the 800m and the 1500m races. She has been hailed as Britain’s greatest ever female Olympian.

It has taken Kelly 20 years to achieve this title. During this time she has suffered many setbacks. Did you know that she actually left the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996 on crutches?

It has not been easy for Kelly Holmes, but, like any athlete, she has always given her sport 100% effort.

Good habits are vital to athletes. They have to train each day and stick to a carefully chosen diet.

Behind those good habits is the determination to win.

If you get into good habits at school and in life, and you are determined, then there is nothing stopping you from being the best you can be.

Unfortunately, the 2004 Olympic Games also broke the record for the number of athletes caught using drugs.

Some athletes choose to cheat. They take drugs to make them perform better at their sport.

Once an athlete has been caught cheating then they are disgraced and people never feel the same way about them again. Their career will be ruined.

So do you think it is worth cheating?

Sometimes, even YOU might be tempted to cheat!

Let’s pretend your teacher leaves test answers on his or her desk. Would you take a peak?

I hope not, because the trouble with cheating is that the only person you are truly cheating is yourself.

If you look at the answers and then sit the test, when you get your results you won’t be pleased with the marks because the only way you got them was by cheating.

If you don’t look at the test answers and then sit the test, if you get top marks you will be really pleased with yourself because you did it all on your own!