KATE Allenby's triumph at the Sydney Olympics has delighted the many people who have known the pentathlete star since she was a youngster.
Kate, from Tavistock, was a pupil at St Joseph's School in Launceston — teacher Paul Hopkin knew Kate well.
He said: 'I'm totally thrilled, it's absolutely splendid. I haven't seen her since she left school, but she came across as the same bubbly, nice person on the television as she was then.
'You can imagine some people congratulating others through gritted teeth, but she was so genuine.'
Mr Hopkin said he had dug out Kate's headteacher's reference when she left, which described her as a kind and considerate personality.
'She has obviously carried on in that way,' said Mr Hopkin.
'She was always very sporty at school. We think she still holds the 900 metres and 1,500 metres from back then and she represented the school in the cross country championships.
'She obviously deserved that medal. We saw that determination when she was in school — if she set her mind to winning something she made sure she did it.'
Mr Hopkin said Kate was always 'mad keen' on horses and not the quietest member of the class.
'If there was anything that needed saying she would always volunteer and join in,' he said.
Kate has been invited to make the presentations at St Joseph's prize-giving.
'We're just hoping she will wear her medal,' said Mr Hopkin.
Kate studied for her A-levels at Kelly College in Tavistock.
Headmaster at the time Chris Hirst said: 'We're absolutely thrilled. We remember Kate very well from those early days — it's been marvellous to watch her develop over the years to the point where she is a bronze medallist.'
And Archie Brew, Kelly's swimming supremo, said: 'It was absolutely brilliant. I honestly didn't think it would be that close — she proved she is a tough lady to do what she did.'
Mr Brew said Kate has returned to Kelly on several occasions to 'top up' her swimming training after leaving school.
'There's no doubt she's done really well and it's fantastic for her and for Tavistock. It shows what a bit of courage can do — she's a lovely girl.'
John Burnett, MP for West Devon and Torridge, has known the Allenby family for 20 years.
He said: 'She is a dedicated athlete who has trained exceptionally hard — winning her medal is a fantastic achievement and she and her fellow Olympians have brought great credit to England.'
Kate started competing in multi-discipline events as a tetrathlete with Spooners and West Dartmoor Pony Club.
Former district commissioner Di James said: 'I was one of her instructors from about the age of 11. She was a very likeable girl, very polite and very modest. It didn't seem to go to her head when she started doing well.'
'From the riding point of view she obviously had that ability to get the horse round competently.'
She said her earliest memories of Kate was a pile of orange peel and crisp packets left on the floor by her lorry the first time she took her to a tetrathlon event!
Kate's talent became obvious as she won a bronze medal in the Junior World Championships in 1995, followed by a silver the following year.
Stepping up to senior level she won first European gold and in 1998 became world champion — she is also this year's World Indoor Champion.
Kate herself was a driving force behind the campaign to get the women's modern pentathlon accepted as an Olympic sport.
She said: 'I'm just glad that Britain managed to put on a good show and on the final day.
It was an amazing feeling to have us both on the medal rostrum — it's just fantastic.'