Qian Hongyan's Olympic dream...

Qian Hongyan,suffered horrific injuries in a car crash when she was three years old in 2000 and doctors had to amputate her legs to ensure her survival.

Hongyan's family in Zhuangxia, China wasn't wealthy enough to provide her with hi-tech equipment to help her walk, so they gave her half a basketball to help her move. Hongyan used brushes as low-level crutches. She was able to travel to and from home and school by bouncing on the basketball. Five years later, doctors were finally been able to give her prosthetic legs.

Hongyan's body slides into the ball and she holds two wooden props in her hands to assist movement.

Training for the Paralympics,

She touched the hearts of millions of people around the world and is fondly referred to as the " Basketball Girl". Qian Hongyan though differently abled has big dreams. The accident may have robbed her of her legs but certainly not her spirit.She has plenty of courage and determination and is indeed a great inspiration to all the differently abled people around the globe. She never let her disability get in the way.Her ambition is to compete as a swimmer in the 2012 Paralympics in London which will be held in August, soon after the Summer Olympics. Olympic-style games for disabled athletes were organised for the first time during the 1960 Summer Games in Rome.

What inspired her to become a swimmer and aspire to win a gold medal at the Olympics?When the seventh national special sports-meeting was held in Kunming in May 2007, Qian Hongyan went to watch the games every day and seeing the handicapped players struggle in the matches deeply moved her.

After the sports meeting, Qian Hongyan was determined to join in the special swimming club. She and her parents went to consult the opportunity with Zhang Honghu, a well known coach who has trained many handicapped swimming champions. Then, Qian Hongyan began her life in the swimming club and did professional swimming training.

"Qian Hongyan studies hard. She never grouches in training although she was confronted with many difficulties at the beginning, " her coach said.At first, Zhang didn't pay much attention to Qian Hongyan. "The individual's capability is important in choosing a player," he said. "Qian Hongyan doesn't have legs. It seems that if a ship has no helm, then the ship could not work well for lack of a sense of direction." In order to solve the problem, Zhang made a special training plan for Qian Hongyan to help balance the shoulders.Qian Hongyan swims for about 2000 metres in a day. She always does the exercises and sit-ups, dumbbells and so on carefully.

After a short period, to Zhang's surprise, he found that Hongyan was gifted in swimming. Zhang said, . "I couldn't ensure she would be a world champion. However, I can tell that she is definitely a promising swimmer. Our biggest wish is to

train her to have a positive attitude to life." Qian Hongyan's dream is to take part in the 2012 special Olympic Games and become a world champion. She works hard to achieve her dream.Will her dream become a reality?