“In the UK sponsorships and funding schemes like the National Lottery help many of athletes prepare for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, but in some countries that funding isn't always there.

It's led to one Paralympic hopeful taking a novel approach to earning the money needed to compete at the London 2012 Paralymics this summer.

Maya Nakanishi used to be a keen tennis player before she lost her leg when she was struck by a steel beam. But the 27-year-old has bounced back as a track star, claiming a fourth place in the Paralympic 200m in Beijing and a sixth place in the Paralympic 100m. She also competes in the long jump.

But despite being so close to a medal last time around, she's struggled to get the necessary funding to compete at the major events around the world. So the Japanese athlete, who trains under the tutelage of former husband of Florence Griffith-Joyner, 1984 Olympic triple-jump champion Al Joyner, has released a nude calendar to help raise additional funds to get her to London”. – Simon Head via Mirror.co.uk. (Photo by Takao Ochi)