The scene is the 1956 Olympic Games arena of Melbourne. There stands on the victory rostrum, a thin and tall girl, receiving her swimming gold medal, with tears streaming down her beautiful cheeks. These are the tears of joy – joy at having the dream of her life come true; joy which comes from the success of determination. These are the tears of having proved people wrong who could never have imagined in their wildest dreams that a girl, disabled by polio at the age of five, would one day win an Olympic gold medal.

Doctors had advised Shelley Mann to get into the swimming pool as an exercise in order to restore some strength to her arms which she could hardly move. What the doctors had not imagined that the same crippled girl would become a world champion. Shelley had cried uncontrollably the day she had managed to lift an arm out of water. A few months later she managed to swim ten meters. Then there was no looking back. The task was arduous, full of sweat and tears, but Shelley persevered. And then came the most cherished moment of her life -- she won the 100 m butter fly competition at the 1956 Olympics at Melbourne, setting an Olympic record of 1 min. 11.0 sec., leaving behind her able bodied rivals

There are many examples in the Olympic history where men and women have blazed their way to success with sheer grit and determination overcoming their physical handicaps.

The amazing achievement of American athlete Roy Ewry will always inspire athletes to show their best in. the quest for perfection. Ewry had been paralyzed as a boy and confined to a wheelchair. Doctors had told that he would never even walk. But Ewry was determined to become an athlete.. With tremendous will and strenuous exercises for long hours and over many years, he toughened his leg muscles so that he could compete in standing jump events. His doctors watched his Olympic journey with disbelief when Ewry went on to win eight Olympic gold medals in the jump events -- three each at Paris in 1900 and St. Louis in 1904 and two at the London Olympics 1908.

Like Ewry, Walter Davis was also a victim of polio. And, like Ewry, he too did not let his infirmity prevent him from becoming one of the greatest high jumpers of the twentieth century. He bagged the high hump title in the Helsinki Olympics, recording a height of 2.04

Wilma Rudolph’s success story would inspire every one not to bow before his or handicaps and to achieve success with indomitable will. One of the nineteen children of a poor black family, Wilma had lost the use of her left leg at the age of four after being hit by polio. Who could have imagined that this girl who dragged her crippled leg hopelessly behind her, would one day set a world record in sprinting. But her incredible journey from the wheel chair to the victory stand proved once again that that difficulties melt away before an iron determination.

As Wilma grew up, the desire to become an athlete seized her mind in a vice-like grip. Encouraged by her doctor and prodded by her own will power, Wilma started massaging her polio-affected leg and doing strenuous exercises. And one day her mother wept out of joy when she found Wilma running round a basket-ball court. The rest is history. Affectionately nicknamed the 'Black Gazelle’ for her speed and grace, Wilma Rudolph won two gold medals at the 1960 Olympics for the 200 m and 100 m sprints and a third gold modal in the relay. She set a world 100 m record of 11.2 seconds.

Murray Halberg, a New Zealander, was left with a dislocated shoulder and a withering arm after a crash on a rugby field. He was advised to resign himself to his handicap. But Halberg had other plans. He decided to run in order to overcome his feeling of handicap and was soon winning racing competitions. Then he decided to take part in the Olympics. In the 1956 Olympics, he finished 11th in the 1500 m event. But this was no cause for frustration. Rather it strengthened his will to do better. And in the I960 Rome Olympics, Halberg bagged the 5000m gold, breasting the tape eight meters ahead of his nearest rival. He collapsed on the track, still clutching the tape with his one good hand.