As a teenager Olympic gold medallist Sarah Ulmer looked up to Tauranga resident and former squash champion Dame Susan Devoy – now students are looking up to Sarah.

The New Zealand cyclist shared her success story with students at Papamoa Primary School today as part of the Olympic Ambassador Programme.

Papamoa School pupils Jenna East, 8, and Josh McCaul, 8, meeting Olympic medalist Sarah Ulmer before their school cross country.

Since its inception in 2008, the country's top Olympians have been sharing their success stories in schools across New Zealand to inspire young people.

At 13-years-old, and needing her teenage independence, Sarah used her bike as transport instead of relying on her parents to take her where she wanted to go.

She would time how long it took for her to cycle from her home to the dairy and each day she pushed herself to go faster.

'That's the first time I ever felt competitive with something. The first time I ever felt speed and the exhilaration of riding fast downhill with the wind in my hair, I just loved it.

'I love the outdoors. I love the feeling of speed. You can always ride your bike faster than you can run. I love being fit and achieving something through sport.”

It was Dame Susan who inspired Sarah to never give up.

'Every time I saw her she was always giving her sport 150 per cent. She really inspired me to give something a really good crack.”

Sarah says it is important for children to set themselves goals in life.

'Once you get used to the idea of setting yourself something to do and then working really hard to achieve it and feeling success early, it sort of sets you up for a way that you can life - which is a great way to live.

'The earlier children can be exposed to that sort of life, the better I reckon.”

During her visit, students watched a video of Sarah's individual pursuit race in Athens where she won the first gold medal for New Zealand in 2004. Sarah brought with her the medal for students to hold.

After the presentation Sarah set off the starting gun for the school's cross country at Gordon Spratt Reserve, Papamoa.