Tanni Grey-Thompson, one of the most successful Paralympians of all time, has highlighted the potential of the Rio 2016 Games to improve attitudes towards people with a disability in Brazil.

The British wheelchair racer, who won 16 Paralympic medals (11 golds) between 1988 and 2004, is in Rio de Janeiro for the Laureus World Sport Awards, but took time out to talk to the Rio 2016 website.

And she said that while the first aim of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games was to deliver great competitions and leave a sporting legacy, the event also has the power to achieve wider social changes.

“It’s important for Brazil to build on the Paralympic success they have had, especially in athletics and swimming, and have success across a whole range of sports,” she said. “And if Rio can also use the Games to help continue to change attitudes towards disabled people that would be great.

Grey-Thompson, who won the London Wheelchair Marathon six times, urged Rio to deliver Games full of Brazilian character and not be intimidated by the success of the London 2012 Games.

She said: “Every Olympics and Paralympics are completely different and London faced a similar situation after Beijing, when everyone said, ‘what do you do after Beijing?’ but London just did something different and I think for Rio that’s the same – you have to stay true to your values and spirit.

“I think the whole world just hopes that the Rio Games will be a huge party, a massive celebration. When you see Carnival and the other things that happen here, people are getting really excited about Rio. For me it was great to be a part of London, but then it was time to hand it on and let it be Rio’s Games.”

Grey-Thompson, who as a Laureus Academy member helped decide this year’s award winners, was taking part in a special event about women in sport, and the Welshwoman revealed that her first sporting ambition was to be a rugby player.

In 2010, she was appointed to Britain’s House of Lords (taking the title Baroness Grey-Thompson) where she contributes to debates and the creation of legislation. However, sport continues to be a passion, and she had tips for the Brazilian Paralympians who hope to win medals on home soil in 2016.

“For those who competed in London, hopefully they will have learned so much about home Games pressure – they will have watched the British athletes and seen the publicity and media coverage and reactions in the stadium, and I think the secret for them to be successful now is to train really hard, not get distracted by lots of amazing things that will happen because they are the host nation – they need to focus on training and winning in Rio.

“The new guys who are coming into it should use it as an opportunity, because you only get the Games on home soil once in a lifetime, so if you’re even on the edge of trying to qualify for 2016, do everything you can, because the home Games is just the best thing in the world.”