HERNANDO, MS (abc24.com) - They're two of the top athletes in the world. Mid-South Olympians shared their passion for fitness with Mississippi middle school students.
The track and field stars were in Hernando encouraging students to get moving. The school has just received new fitness equipment to help.
Hernando Middle School has brand a new outdoor workout station, donated by a group called Project Fit America. It's designed with kids in mind. There are seven different stations for everything from sit-ups and pull-ups to pole climbs, vaults and parallel bars.
Both Olympians who spoke started their careers in middle school and told students to take advantage of the opportunity.
"On this you're using all your strength, which most of us don't have any," says eighth grader Levi McClellan. The new workout area will be used for fitness tests and PE classes.
"I think it will help a lot of people get in shape if they're trying to reach their goals," says Jake McCann, who's also in the eighth grade.
Students are up for the challenge. They're receiving extra support from Olympians Trell Kimmons and Rochelle Stevens.
"I started doing it around sixth grade," says sprinter Trell Kimmons. He trained in Hernando. "They gave me my first opportunity to be able to train on their track."
Kimmons went from that beginning to running in London's Olympic Stadium this summer, where he won a silver medal in the 4x100 meter relay.
He told Hernando's students they can do the same if they make fitness a priority. "At one point I was one of them."
"I started my career at 12 years old in middle school," says Rochelle Stevens, who won a gold medal in Atlanta. For Stevens, it's all about motivation.
Both Olympians told students they have the tools, now it's up to them to use them.
"They have more now to exercise on than we ever had," Kimmons adds. "It's out there, but it takes effort and desire to be the best they can be."
The equipment was paid for by Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Mississippi.
