GOLD medal winning Paralympian Tim Prendergast took time out from his rigorous training schedule to inspire youngsters at a Christchurch school.

The Kiwi athlete, who won gold at the 1500metre event in Athens, started losing 95 per cent of his sight at the age of eight.

And after finding cricket and football more difficult due to the loss of most of his sight, he discovered that running was a sport he could still take part in to a competitive level.

Students at The Priory School in Wick Lane spent the day grilling Tim, who will find out if he has a place at London 2012 in the next few months.

And they were treated to a few races with the athlete in the school playground where he was pipped to the finishing line just a couple of times by the youngsters.

Tim said: “I do a lot of work with the Youth Sport Trust and have been over here for five years now doing this type of work.

“The Priory school have really embraced the whole ethos that principles in sport can give you guidance in the rest of your life.

“The London Games are 30 weeks away now and I’m really looking forward to it. It will be brilliant and I hope to have some good news about my place soon.”

Head teacher of The Priory, Claire King said: “All the pupils have really loved having Tim in school today.

“He has been wonderful with them explaining how gradually losing his sight really affected him but that he was determined to succeed.

“He did a whole school assembly and then talks with the older and younger children. The older ones especially have been really inspired by him.”

As well as winning Gold in Athens in 2004, Tim won two silver medals at the games in Sydney and was team captain in Beijing nearly four years ago.