OLYMPIC triple jump record holder, Ashia Hanson, inspired Wyre Forest students with her success story and challenged them to design a new sport.

About 80 students from Wyre Forest and Hagley took part in a one-day athletics challenge at Stourport Sports Club on Monday.

The five high schools participating - Baxter College, The Bewdley School and Sixth Form Centre, King Charles I School, Stourport High School and Sixth Form Centre and Haybridge High School and Sixth Form centre in Hagley, were each represented by 15 students from years eight and nine.

The schools are all partners in The ContinU Trust of Wyre Forest and Hagley which organised the event through its Opening Doors Programme in collaboration with Wyre Forest School Sport Partnership (WFSSP) and IJM Media of Bewdley.

The young people who took part were all gifted and talented PE students and many were sports leaders and mentors in their school and communities.

The British record holder for the triple jump, has set more than 20 records during an outstanding career, including holding titles of world indoor champion, European outdoor champion and world indoor record holder.

She inspired and captivated students with her own story of success followed by a question and answer session. She then challenged the students to work in teams and design their own original sports event, then pitch it to the judging committee of a ficticious large world class competition to see if it could be included in the event as a new sport.

During the afternoon session, the teams took on the role of event managers, designing the event and devising its marketing strategy.