I WAS deeply touched by the story of Paralympian Anne Dunham.

The dressage specialist, who won gold in the recent Sydney games, really struck a chord with me and made me realise just how lucky I am.

Here is a woman who has overcome one of the greatest obstacles in life and now stands out as a shining beacon to any sportsman or woman.

She does not like to be labelled as "brave". No, she prefers to look upon herself as a woman who has adapted to her condition and made the best of her life.

The 52-year-old has multiple sclerosis and has been wheelchair bound for 20 years.

She admits that when she became disabled it was a simple case of her life changing not for better or for worse, but simply taking a new route.

Her words in the Evening Advertiser last Saturday should be printed and posted up in every sports hall around the country.

"A door shuts but another one opens. It's up to you where you go from there. You can give up or you can find a way forward. I am just living that's what you tend to do," she said.

Now that is possibly the most inspirational thing I have heard.

I moan about getting up on a Sunday morning to go and play football in the rain and cold.

And I am sure I am not alone when I get home from work and decide I am too tired to get out the bike and go for a ride or go to the gym for a good workout. If Anne Dunham ever had such thoughts then she would never have lived her dream of competing in the Paralympics and winning a host of medals.

She is an inspiration to everybody who wants to go out and live their sporting dream disabled or not.

The efforts of Anne Dunham and her fellow Paralympians have given so many people hope and courage to put their own disabilities to one side and achieve what they want.

It is a strange and somewhat alarming case in today's society that stories of sporting success against all the odds are the only ones which take us back to the good old fashioned values.

These people are an inspiration and they deserve our support.

I doubt too many of them will be voted for Sports Personality of the Year. However, their efforts and yes I will use the word bravery, will live on in so many other athletes.