After more than a decade chasing Olympic dreams, New Zealand discus thrower Connor Bell has retired from competitive athletics but he has no intention of sitting still.

The 25-year-old Olympian is now using his experiences in elite sport to inspire young people, visiting schools to talk about resilience, goal setting, dealing with change and the importance of relationships.

Bell, who lives in Tauranga, said that one of the biggest lessons from his sporting career was that success was about much more than medals and records.

“When I look back on my time as an athlete, it’s not the distances I threw, the number of medals I won, or places that I’ve been,” he said.

“It’s the people that I’ve connected with, the relationships that I’ve been able to foster, and how sports has brought me close with the people that I love and care about.”

Connor Bell shares his experience as an Olympian and NZ discus thrower. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford

Bell’s own journey began at a tiny country school in Waitoki, northwest Auckland, with about 60 pupils.

Moving to Northcross Intermediate, with more than 1000 students, was a huge culture shock.

He struggled to fit in, was bullied and became increasingly withdrawn, turning to video games as a form of social escape.

“I was a big kid that played video games that no one else thought was cool,” he said.

Then, at an athletics day, he discovered discus.

For the first time, Bell found something he was good at – and received encouragement from those around him.

“I think something that was really important for me at that point in time was the power of encouragement,” he said.

“Having someone say, ‘You’re really talented at something. We believe in you. I think you should give this a go’.”

That small boost of confidence helped launch a remarkable sporting career.

Bell went on to represent New Zealand internationally, win a medal and break the Youth Olympic record at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, compete at World Championships and Commonwealth Games, and eventually realise his dream of competing at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

The journey, however, was not without setbacks.

He missed Olympic qualification during the Covid-disrupted period before fighting his way back.

His eventual qualification came in Tulsa, United States, where he broke the New Zealand record to secure his place in Paris.

Bell said an act of kindness by the organisers also played a crucial part.

After he found himself in an uncomfortable environment and a shooting occurred near where he was staying, an organiser moved him into the home of their relatives.

“That generosity and hospitality was immensely important for me,” he said.

“Don’t underestimate the power of a kind gesture, because it can go a really, really long way.”

Those experiences had shaped what Bell wants to do next.

He said the decision to retire was partly driven by a growing realisation that meaningful relationships matter more to him than chasing the next sporting achievement.

“The more that I’ve done that, the more those goals become realised, they get put behind you, and you end up with this empty space,” he said.

“You’ve got to think about what’s filling that space.”

Connor Bell has new plans after his retirement from competitive athletics. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford

Since the Paris Olympics, Bell had taken opportunities to speak in schools through work involving the New Zealand Olympic Committee and Sport New Zealand.

He estimated he had visited about 20 to 30 schools.

What had surprised him most was seeing the impact his story could have on students who may be facing their own challenges.

“It’s been really inspiring for me to go into schools and see the impact [of] my stories of sports - and not the successes, but the things that I’ve learned along the way - light up some of these kids,” he said.

Bell is also studying for a Bachelor of Science in Psychology through Massey University.

He does not have a fixed career destination in mind.

“I ultimately want to be in a space where I’m connecting with people in really meaningful ways,” he said.

For now, that means using the platform sport had given him to help young people believe in themselves and value the people around them.

His father perhaps summed up Bell’s new chapter best.

“My dad said life is a funny journey. It leads us to places which are significant. Sometimes we don’t know why, and it isn’t until much later that that significance is revealed,” he said.