SWIMMING legend Duncan Goodhew shared his success story with pupils to encourage them to keep active.

He described how getting involved in sport helped him to overcome his own childhood problems, such as dyslexia, and spurred him on to glory.

Mr Goodhew was captain of the Great Britain swim team at the 1980 Olympic Games. He won gold in the 100 metres breaststroke and was a bronze medallist in the 4x100 metre medley relay.

Yesterday, he showed off his medals to children at Belgrave St Bartholomew's Academy, in Longton.

The ambassador for children's coaching company Premier Sport, said: "I have always believed in the value of sport. I was born dyslexic and really struggled in life, but sport changed that.

"I talked about what sport has done for me and wanted to get across that general message to encourage children to take part in things that make you feel big inside.

"And these activities do not have to be during school time, they can be out of school and during the holidays too."

The visit by the Olympian came as the Sussex Place school was chosen to represent Great Britain in a Stoke-on-Trent-wide event to celebrate the Olympic games.

Hundreds of children will take to the streets as part of a parade on the same day as the Stoke-on-Trent leg of the Olympic torch relay – May 30.

The parade, which will start in Shelton and finish with a celebration in Hanley Park, will include 100 dancers and 100 musicians to help create a carnival atmosphere.

Each school is being assigned an Olympic nation and children will then create costumes, flags and hats to wear at the event, representing their adopted country.

PE specialist at Belgrave St Bartholomew's Academy, Helen Freeman, said: "We want our children to meet as many sporting heroes in the run-up to the Olympics as possible so having Duncan pop in was a real honour for us.

"Our school has been chosen to represent Great Britain in the event and we will be hosting the parade because of how much work we have been doing to commemorate the Olympics."

Each child taking part in the parade will get free tickets to the celebration by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Councillor Debra Gratton, cabinet member for children's services, added: "This is a unique opportunity for hundreds of our city's young people to get involved with the London 2012 Olympic Games. We are aiming to create a lasting legacy in the city and give our young people something that they will remember.

"We want every school to be represented in the parade and to enjoy the celebrations in the park afterwards with the thousands of local people."

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Athletics: Ross-Cope follows her Olympic dream to Kenya

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