South-west export and Paralympic rower Kathryn Ross got a reminder of where it all started on Wednesday.
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The decorated athlete was inducted into Brauer College's Sporting Hall of Fame, becoming the second person to receive the honour alongside golfer Marc Leishman.
Ross said she was thrilled to stop by her former high school as she eyed gold at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
"The idea is to go there and see what we can do," she said.
"And hopefully come back with a medal.
"It would be amazing to come away with a Paralympic gold.
"To stand on the dais and be one of those greats of all time in sporting history."
Ross, a three-time Paralympian, previously took silver at the Beijing in 2008.
She said she had a few steps to take before qualifying for Tokyo.
"You have to first get invited to selections and then compete at selections.
"And then actually have a rowing partner because I have to compete in doubles there."
Ross, who is Canberra-based, is aiming to qualify for the mixed doubles scull.
She added there was no single scull for her classification at the Paralympics.
Ross would need to place in the top two in Italy - at a last-chance qualifier event - to qualify for Tokyo.
The south-west product is still looking for a doubles partner for the qualifying event in May.
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She was pleased speak in front of hundreds of students and also family members on Wednesday.
"It's an absolute honour not only to be inducted into the Sporting Hall of Fame at Brauer but also to be second behind legend Marc Leishman," she said.
"Brauer is pretty lucky, we've got some hidden talent down here in Warrnambool."
Ross, also an emergency critical care nurse, recalled a memory from year nine.
"Some students did a dance recital thing and it was absolutely fabulous," she said.
"I remember looking at that going 'I wish I could be like that'.
"Whether that sparked something you never know.
"I'm always in awe of those kinds of people who are able to do something unusual, different and show others what's possible out there."
Ross' key message to students was that anything is possible.
"Just don't think what is happening right now is the be all and end all," she said.
"There's that many opportunities out there, you've just got to grab them and run and be resilient."
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