Paralympian Emma Foy takes medals to her former school

Paralympic hero Emma Foy is presented with flowers by Danielle Lowe (centre) and Payton Hutchinson at Dargaville Primary School.

For Paralympic double-medallist Emma Foy returning to her old Dargaville primary school with the silver and bronze medals was an awesome experience, and an indication of just how popular disabled sports are becoming.

As a visually impaired athlete, Foy won a silver medal and a bronze medal with her sighted partner Laura Thompson on a tandem bike in Rio this year, an incredible achievement at her first Paralympics.

This year's Paralympics received unprecedented television coverage in New Zealand and Foy said while there was still improvement to come, as some Paralympic sports did not get any coverage, the response showed that watching the Paralympics was popular and the response from her old school reinforced that.

Foy attended Dargaville Primary School and said she was honoured by the reception she received from the schoolchildren.

''They really laid it on for me and it was a really cool welcome home for me,'' she said.

''Coming back to Dargaville and seeing the enthusiasm at the welcome showed how much people have got into the Paralympics. People genuinely wanted to watch how we were getting on in Rio so it's great to finally see the Paralympics receive decent coverage.''

Dargaville Primary School teacher Judy Harding said the students were well aware of Foy's achievements and had hosted a visit from her last year as part of their focus on inspiration.

''We'd been following her in the Paralympics and as an ex-pupil of the school some students had completed projects on her last term,'' Mrs Harding said.

''There was great excitement to have Emma back and for some of the students to feel her medals. They weigh about 500 grams each and make a different noise (the Paralympic gold, silver and bronze medals have steel balls in them so blind competitors could really experience the medals). We sang for Emma and performed a haka and presented her with a special civic cloak made by the students. We are so proud of her achievements and to have her come back to show her medals and talk to the students was amazing.''