A world-class decathlete put students through their paces at a sponsored indoor rowing challenge last week.

Dean Macey, who won silver at the 1999 World Championships, gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, and twice came fourth at the Olympics, joined 140 Stevenage school children on Friday to promote sport among 15 to 16-year-olds.

Held at Odyssey Health and Fitness Centre in Knebworth, the event was organised by MBDA and Stevenage School Sports Partnership which hopes to send a team of rowers to the indoor nationals in London in March.

Kathyrn Allen project manager at the partnership said: “This new programme will give many young people in schools in Stevenage and North Herts a chance to try a sport that they previously have not had access to.

“Schools brought to the launch students that do not normally represent their school in competition and team games and this is a focus of our programme - to provide an avenue of competition to all young people.”