Around 100 pupils from the Scuola Media Ovidio were told about the European Championships, which are scheduled to take place at the Carlo Zecchini Stadium from June 10 to 16.

The visit from Corso and Contrafatto, both Grosseto 2016 ambassadors, was the last port of call on a tour of Italy’s schools as part of the "A World of Athletics" promotional campaign.

Designed by the Grosseto 2016 Organising Committee, it was designed to support the European Championships and endorse Para-athletics at all levels.

Corso, the 400 metres T35 world record holder, told the 10-year-old students how crucial Para-sport was in her life.

"I started running at your age, 10 years ago," she said.

"At that time I was not even able to climb the stairs - today I run up the stairs.

"Obviously not everything is easy but sport helped me improve mentally too.

"Experience taught me that, over time, all that appears to be a weakness becomes a strength.

"My cerebral palsy and what I’ve experienced after that made me what I am today.

"I now see myself as Oxana the athlete and I am very proud of what I have achieved so far."

Russian-born Corso, the silver medallist in the 100m and 200m T35 at London 2012, excelled at last month’s IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Grosseto as she improved her own national records over 100m to 14.91sec and 200m to 31.67.

Her team-mate and friend Contrafatto - a T42 sprinter who came fifth in the 100m at her first IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha last year - told students about her accident in Afghanistan where she was involved in a terror attack that caused the amputation of her right leg.

The 35-year-old, who also competes for Italy in wheelchair rugby, said: "When I was hit by a bomb, it seemed I was playing murderball.

"It was my job to be there as a soldier.

"Despite everything, I was able to go beyond what happened and I took my life back."