By Danny Crates Paralympic champion

I lost my right arm in 1994 when I had an accident while working in Australia.

Before the accident I played rugby, but in the months that followed I didn't do any exercise and put on a lot of weight.

It took me six months to get back into training, and almost a year to the day after the accident I played my first competitive game of rugby.

DANNY CRATES FACTFILE Born: 9 February 1973 Lives: Corringham, Essex Event: 800m Classification: T46 (arm amputee) Personal Best: 1:53.27 (World record)

Rugby played a massive role in my rehabilitation. My team-mates helped me develop new techniques for tackling and ball-handling and although I was very nervous before my first game back, it went incredibly well.

For about two years, the British team tried to persuade me to come to one of their athletics training camps, but it took a lot of encouragement.

Eventually, I went along, but only to prove that I didn't like it. Much to my surprise, I loved it and I have stuck with athletics since.

In 2000 I came home from the Sydney Paralympics with a bronze medal from the 400m and I was bitterly disappointed with my performance.

I remember getting back to my hotel room in a foul mood and throwing the medal across the bed!

I've learnt from that and now I look on every defeat as a learning experience.

But in Athens 2004 I won gold. It was a fantastic feeling after waiting so long to hear the words Paralympic champion.

At the moment, I train twice a day six days a week but my switch from 400m to 800m meant my training had to completely change.

The most important advice I would give is to make sure you enjoy it

With the 400m I was doing a lot more speed endurance work, with a handful of repetitions and a short recovery.

With the 800m I've had to go out for lots of long runs and do a lot more work on the road. That's something I find quite difficult because I prefer to be on the track.

In the off-season (from Christmas until late May) I do two runs on Mondays and Wednesdays, as well as weights sessions.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I do track or grass sessions, followed by a run in the evening.

Fridays and Saturdays are spent doing runs and hill sessions and if I'm lucky, I'll get Sunday off.

ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHTS European Championships 2005: 800m gold medal Paralympics 2004: 800m gold AAAs Championships 2004: 800m world record (1:53.27 seconds) European Championships 2003: 800m gold World Indoor Championships 2003: 800m gold European Championships 2001: 400m gold Sydney Paralympic Games 2000: 400m bronze

On the day of a race, I don't have a specific routine. The main thing is to try and relax, while at the same time keeping myself occupied.

I also have to manage my food well and make sure my body has plenty of fuel for the race ahead.

I love my food and I tend to eat quite big meals. I'd say the best thing about switching from 400m to 800m is that I get to eat more!

I do go through phases of giving in to temptation and eating the wrong foods, but I think you have to do that every now and then and I don't feel guilty about it.

Top tips

It may sound obvious, but the most important advice I would give is to make sure you enjoy it.

It's seriously hard work being an athlete - if you're not passionate it just won't be worthwhile.

You also have to realise that disabled athletes don't earn a huge amount of money - even at the very top - so don't go into it hoping to get rich.

At the same time, you have to take the same knocks and disappointments as any other athlete.

But if you love the sport and really want to be the best, none of that will matter.