Dear Sharon,

TO some extent you are right to say that attitudes to disabled athletes have changed in the last 20 or 30 years and that is very good, but I’m not sure that extends towards the ordinary person with disabilities. Very few can hope to reach the high levels of fitness of the athletes or match their great achievements.

Racing blades and high-tech racing wheelchairs are a world away from the equipment used by most people with disabilities to get them through life.

This was Formula 1 equipment and with a team of bac- up experts.

My sister was recently housebound for more than a week while her wheelchair was repaired.

Good luck to the athletes who did us all proud and are a marvellous inspiration. But for most people with disabilities, every day life is just as challenging, day in, day out, but with no medals at the end.

Peter Metcalf, by email .