The interview question that left Olympic gold medalist Lola Anderson sobbing

Olympic gold medalist Lola Anderson, 26, broke down in tears when a journalist asked about the poignant note her dad gave her before he died.

But the note wasn't written by dad Don Anderson, it was penned by Lola herself when she was 13 and dreamed of being an Olympian.

"I'd forgotten about it obviously, but a couple of years ago my dad reminded me and I know that he'd be so, so proud," the British athlete sobbed to BBC Sport.

Watch the video above.

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The interview took place just moments after she claimed gold in the women's quadruple sculls at Paris 2024, something she'd dreamed of since she was a little girl.

When Lola was 13, she watched the London Olympics and was so inspired that she wrote a note all about how she wanted to compete herself one day and bring home a gold medal.

"My name is Lola Anderson and I think it would be my biggest dream in life to go to the Olympics and represent Team GB in rowing and, if possible, win a gold medal," she wrote, via Olympics.com.

Watch the Paris Olympics from July 24 live and exclusively free on Nine and 9Now, and in 4K UHD on Stan Sport.

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Though she tossed the note soon after, dad Don Anderson knew how meaningful it was and held on to it.

Lola had no clue that he still had it until 2019, when he returned it to her just a few months before he died of cancer.

Don remind her of the Olympic dreams she'd had since she was just a teenager – and now she's achieved it almost five years after losing her dad.

Though her dad didn't get to see the moment she took to the podium, the 26-year-old had no doubt that he would be incredibly proud of her.

"I'm just thinking a lot about him right now. It's really lovely," she said through tears.

This is Lola's first time at The Olympics and she was thrilled to get a spot on Team Britain, taking to Instagram to voice her excitement back in June.

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"Officially kitted out and selected for Paris 2024 and my first Olympic Games!" she wrote.

"I am extremely honoured and excited to be selected to race in the women's quads this summer.

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