Italy's Martina Caironi has officially launched the countdown to the IPC Grand Prix in Grosseto ©Getty Images

Paralympic and world champion Martina Caironi has officially launched the countdown to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics Grand Prix in Grosseto by meeting more than 250 high school students based in the Italian city.

The eighth Grand Prix of the 2015 season, which doubles as the Italian Open Championships, is set to take place at the Carlo Zecchini Olympic Stadium from June 12 to 14.

Around 250 athletes from 45 countries will compete at the venue which is due to host next year’s IPC Athletics European Championships. 

Italian Caironi met the students as part of the Italian National Paralympic Committee campaign, “At school with a Para-star, and offered some inspirational words to the gathered audience.

“Follow your dreams and passions, each of us is unique,” said Caironi, who equalled German Vanessa Low’s world record mark in the long jump T42 when she leapt 4.60 metres at an IPC-sanctioned event in Barcelona last weekend.

“Your strength and mind will enable you to achieve what you want.

“Never surrender if you find hurdles in your way.

“Willingness is the key, even in combining sport and studies.”

Martina Caironi recently equalled the long jump T42 world record set by Germany's Vanessa Low
Martina Caironi recently equalled the long jump T42 world record set by Germany's Vanessa Low ©Getty Images

Caironi suffered a motorcycle accident in 2007 that caused her to undergo high-femoral amputation of her left leg, after which she turned to Para-athletics the following year.

“After my motorcycle accident, they gave me a prosthesis to run and I started feeling the wind blowing through my hair again,” added the track and field star.

“This wind gave me a big boost because I understood that I was still able to do the same things as before, but in a different way.

“If I still had a leg, maybe I would not become so open.

“My tragedy is the source of my happiness and my life today is full of beautiful things.”

Back in 2013, when the Grosseto Grand Prix first featured on the calendar, Caironi smashed both the 100m and 200m T42 world records, before lowering her 200m mark even further a year later, clocking 32.64 seconds.

She is also the reigning 100m T42 European champion, having triumphed in Swansea, Wales last year, when she added a silver medal in the long jump T42 to her haul.

Prior to the event in Grosseto, the Swiss municipality of Nottwill will stage the seventh Grand Prix of the 2015 season from May 29 to 31.

The German capital of Berlin is set to host the ninth leg from June 19 to 21, before the Grand Prix Final takes place in London on July 26.


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