WHAT makes a winner?

Sharron Davies should know. She set re-set more than 200 British swimming records covering three different Olympics, during a 20-year sports career. She is a former Gladiator, former host of "The Big Breakfast" and is now a sports presenter with the BBC.

She talked to the GUARDIAN while in Warrington hosting an awards ceremony for North and Mid Cheshire TEC.

Sharron believes that to be a winner as a woman, you not only have to be determined to succeed, you have to be organised as well.

She has two children and another on the way, but fits in lots of public relations work as well as her other commitments.

"You can be a great mother and still be a determined person and still succeed. We can have our cake and eat it, as long as we are organised," said Sharron.

"You also have to be single minded and get over hurdles. You have to be positive. If something isn't quite right, you can lose confidence. You have to have belief in yourself and find the things you are good at.

"I had a vision of where I wanted to be and what I wanted to achieve. It wasn't easy and there were lots of knocks along the way, but it is the will to succeed which keeps you going through the tough times. Sport has given me the confidence for other things."

Sharron, who is full of energy and enthusiasm for life, believes that everybody has some talent, but it may be necessary to try out different things to discover real potential.

"Keep on till you find what you are good at," she said.

Achieving success is like building with bricks, according to Sharron.

"You need to be dedicated and consistent and take things in short, "do-able" steps till you get to your goal. This way, you can aim as high as you like."

Women may have more opportunities than they have ever had in the past, but they still have to do better than the average man, according to Sharron.

She believes that some people still have the old fashioned idea that women are pacifiers and have to give things up.

For Sharron, getting her career on the road came before starting a family, but family life is extremely important to her. She also finds time for keeping fit, has released a "fit lifestyle" video and published three books on pregnancy and fitness, learning to swim and an autobiography.

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