Dr James Allenby, who was a former GP for many years in Tavistock, has encouraged young people in West Devon to follow the example of Heather, who came home with a silver medal in the modern pentathlon at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Heather has followed with more success recently with another silver medal in the modern pentathlon World Cup final in Portugal earlier this month.

Dr Allenby, whose daughter Kate won bronze in the same discipline at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, said: 'I would like to take this opportunity to add to the accolades that have been made to Heather's brilliant performances in Beijing and in Portugal. It might give any aspiring young athlete with imagination and vision, the passion to be a winner.

He said it was the Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt Pony Club which had been 'the springboard' that gave Heather the skills and opened up her sporting opportunities. It was there that Heather began tetrathlon — consisting of air pistol shooting, swimming, cross-country running and cross country riding — around the age of ten with the pony club.

She was always an excellent shot and early on she learned her swimming under the expert guidance of Archie Brew. In 1999 and 2001 she won the Pony Club National Tetrathlon Championship before her career as a physiotherapist took precedence and she went to university to study. She added fencing to her skills and moved on to modern pentathlon, quickly making her mark in pentathlon by winning the Junior World Championships in 2003.

But when she restarted full time training in Bath, in 2004 she was unable to reproduce her original level of performance and eventually she was dropped from the pentathlon squad and this was when we really saw Heather's true colours. She returned to her roots in Tavistock and with support from her family, she sought out 'Mr Motivator', Robin Brew, to help her live her dream. Robin was not only an Olympic swimmer but he had also been a successful international triathlete so he understands the exacting demands of multisports.

'Robin's training schedules in the pool began to shave the seconds off Heather's swimming times. He also helped her understand the discipline and personal responsibility required of a top class elite athlete.'

She turned to one of the top coaches in the South West in Plymouth for her fencing. Andy Hill had 'started' Heather off and was keen to help her in her bid for the top. Fencing requires huge hand/eye co-ordination but also enormous psychological courage and Andy worked with her, nurturing her natural temperament and ability.

In the riding Heather was fortunate to find another professional and inspirational coach, Andy Reeve at St Leonards Equitation Centre in Launceston. He worked with Heather, cajoled her and helped her develop her confidence to the extent that she rode probably the best round in Beijing.

Dr Allenby told the Times: 'So, how did she do it? Firstly she had a hugely supportive family. Secondly, she had a group of outstanding coaches, but most importantly Heather had that talent and steely determination which she first showed as a teenager in the Pony Club. It was this that carried her through to the podium of the pressure cauldron called the Olympic Games.

'Well done Heather, it was a tantalising, roller coaster of a day in Beijing, but you made it worth every penny for us all to be standing there with your Mum and Dad and many other vociferous Brits as you leapt onto the podium to receive the silver medal — a great moment for us all to savour.'

His message to any aspiring young athletes who would like to follow in Heathers' footsteps and compete in the Olympic Games is: 'Yes — you can do it. You are the only one who can live your dream and that means that you are the one who can make that decision.

'You have to have the determination to work at your chosen sport when things are going well, but particularly when things seem to be going against you.

'You also need huge support, not only from your family but also from skilled coaches.'

He urged those interested in equestrian sport to join their local branch of the Pony Club — whose members in the modern pentathlon alone have seen success in Sydney, in Athens and again in Beijing.

For more information contact the Pony Club headquarters through http://www.pcuk.org">www.pcuk.org or the Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt Pony Club http://www.spoonersponyclub.co.uk">www.spoonersponyclub.co.uk