AN ASPIRING Olympic gymnast took a diversion on his road to Rio on Tuesday with a visit to Swindon.

Harry Owen, who represented Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in artistic gymnastics, visited Moredon Primary School for an afternoon of sport and fundraising.

His visit was part of a programme run by Sports for Champions, an organisation bringing Commonwealth and Olympic athletes to schools across the country.

While the household names of athletics are fully sponsored, some competitors such as Harry have to raise much of their own funding.

As part of his visit, the children gathered sponsorship from family and friends before competing in sporting challenges.

Forty percent of the money will go towards Harry’s training and competing costs and sixty percent will be kept by the school to be put towards sports equipment.

Principal Claire Leach said: “The visit was really positive and all the children really enjoyed it.

“They had to do press ups, star jumps and other activities in the main hall – Harry led all the activities.

“Then we brought the whole school in for a special assembly and he talked about his background and about how he got into gymnastics.

“We’re always trying to promote fitness and a healthy lifestyle at the school, especially these days when so many kids may spend much of their time sat in front of the computer.

“He did some stunts and tricks for the kids too, the teachers had to lie down at the front of the hall while he somersaulted over us – that was a bit nerve wracking but the kids loved it.”

The year four class that raised the most money got a special prize and the individual students who raised the most got to have their photo taken with Harry.

The school plans to spend their share of the total raised on getting some new equipment for use at lunchtimes and also some new rounders kits and other items needed for the coming summer.

If your school would like to book Harry or another top athlete, you can visit www.sportsforchampions.com