|Athletes with asthma|
|Around the Academy:
Be inspired by these 10 top athletes who have overcome asthma to be the best.
1. Paula Radcliffe
This crowned a remarkable year that also saw Paula win the Commonwealth Games 5,000m, the European Championships 10,000m, the London Marathon and World Cross Country Championships.
Paula's asthma was diagnosed at the age of 14.
She keeps her asthma under control by making sure she always gets the right level of treatment.
2. Paul Scholes
Although he has never had a serious attack, the Manchester United club doctor always keeps Paul's inhaler handy in case he needs to use it.
3. Mark Spitz
The American swimming sensation made a real splash when he scooped a stunning nine gold medals at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
4. Ian Botham
He notched up a 1000 Test runs and took 100 Test wickets quicker than any player before him.
As a kid though, Botham suffered from asthma.
5. Jackie Joyner-Kersee
One of the greatest multi-event athletes, she scooped Olympic gold in the heptathlon in 1988 and 1992.
She also struck gold in the long jump in 1988.
With a heptathlon silver in 1984 and bronze long jump medals in 1992 and 1996, she took her Olympic medal tally to six.
She discovered she had asthma in 1983 and sometimes wore a mask to compete.
6. Alison Streeter
She first swam it at the age of 18.
7. Nancy Hogsehead
She was ranked number one in the world at 14 and was a triple gold medallist at the 1984 Olympic Games.
8. Jan Ullrich
9. Adrian Moorhouse
The British swimmer was crowned Olympic champion in the 100m breaststroke at Seoul in 1988.
10. Amy Van Dyken
She took gold in the 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 4x100m freestyle and 4x50m medley in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta - even though her asthma limited her to about 65 per cent of normal lung capacity.