INSPIRATION of the week

RIO Woolf is training for Paralympic glory after losing his right leg when he was just 14 months old.

The nine-year-old had his leg amputated because of a rare condition called tibial aplasia.

He learned how to walk with the help of Playskill, near his home in Bushey Heath, Herts.

At first he got an NHS prosthetic limb but found it too heavy to run with his friends.

Now he uses a running blade with a knee joint, earning him the nickname Blade Boy. And he has set his sights on running for Team GB in the 2024 Paralympics.

Mum Juliette, 48, said: “He’s started training with Harrow Athletics Club and he’s very positive. There’s no such word as can’t in his vocab. We support him in his dreams whatever he wants to do.”

Rio has also become an ambassador for other children with missing limbs and is raising awareness of the increasing opportunities for young amputees to enjoy sport and leisure.

DREAM Rio Woolf