THE next generation of sporting stars were inspired by Olympians David Murdoch and Scott Andrews this week.

The silver medal-winning winter Olympic stars paid a visit to Chiseldon Primary School on Thursday to motivate and inspire the pupils to get active.

David and Scott were part of Britain’s team which got to the curling final at Sochi, in Russia, during this year’s competition before losing to Canada. The pair posed for pictures, let pupils wear their medals and took part in a question and answer session.

During their visit, the pair also joined the children in playing new age kurling. Headteacher Spencer Allen said: “We all had an amazing day, the idea was to inspire the children to have goals and work towards them like David and Scott have. “The big difference between curling and new age kurling was that it isn’t on ice. We all had a go and it was a lot of fun, with our Year 1’s performing the best. “The school did quite a lot during Sochi and we kept up with Team GB so it was a thrill for the children to meet some of the athletes in person.”

Spencer said that he hopes the visit will encourage his pupils to set their own sporting aspirations. He said: “I think it is important for the children of this country, not just our school, to develop a passion and competitive edge for sport. “Here we are also teaching them about losing and that taking part isn’t all about winning as it is vital that we learn from those experiences as they’ll benefit us in the future. “It was nice to hear how Scott and David got into sport and the hurdles they’ve had to face along the way.”

“They really engaged with the visit, taking the time to get involved with the activities. The atmosphere at the school was amazing,and the visit surpassed our expectations.”