URCHFONT Paralympian Polly Maton inspired schoolchildren to join the crowds at this summer’s World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017 when she visited their classrooms.

Sprinter and long jumper Polly and her Rio 2016 Paralympic teammate Kylie Grimes Games spent an afternoon with pupils at Mossbourne Riverside Academy, which is just a stone’s throw away from the home of both championships at the London Stadium.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park provided the perfect backdrop as Maton and Grimes talked about how they got into athletics: Polly made her Paralympic Games debut aged just 16 in Rio.

In partnership with Blue Peter, children across the UK aged 6-15 are being invited to submit designs for the official mascots of the World Para Athletics Championships and the IAAF World Championships London 2017 by Friday (feb 10).

Polly, who finished fifth in the T46 100m and seventh in the T46 long jump in Rio, said: “It feels like yesterday that I was competing at my first Paralympic Games and it was great to share those fond memories with everyone at Mossbourne.

“Being so close to the venue has really got me excited about the summer ahead. I hope schools like this one in London will take advantage of the 250,000 tickets available at just £3 and come to cheer us on during the Championships.”