The credit crunch has hit a Paralympic hopeful hard as a promised sponsorship deal has fallen through.

Pluckley-based sailor Michael Cogswell plans for a gold medal at London 2012 could be sunk without it.

He said: “Winning a gold medal is a four year programme and in 2009 it is important to secure UK Sport Funding through to 2012 by winning a medal at the Disabled World Championships in Greece this October.

“This will only be possible if I have the sponsorship to pay for equipment, training and travel and one of my main sponsors no longer has any spare money and unless I can find some new sponsors quickly I won’t be on the start line at the championship.”

Michael lives in the village with his wife and two year-old daughter. He was paralysed from the chest down in a skiing accident in March 1999.

His website paralympic-sailor.com helps encourage those injured and their families to live a better life, have a family, find jobs and enjoy themselves.

He said: “A gold medal at London 2012 would really help show many people that when living with a spinal injury life can still be good.”

Michael was a member of Britain’s Paralympic sailing team, Skandia Team GBR, in the run up to the 2008 in Beijing competing for selection in the single person class.

Changes to the disability classification requirements for the two person boat at London 2012 has opened up this class for Michael and consequently his prospects for 2012 are positive.

His profile among the spinal injury community is high and in the past year has had a number of articles published in the Spinal Injuries Association’s magazine.

He is also an ambassador for Active Ashford – a partnership that encourages participation in sport and physical activity.

“I need to raise about £15,000 and I hope to get this from a number of businesses and personal donors. I can be contacted via my web site and I hope a number of people will step forward.”

He can be contacted on 07971 666313 or at Michael@paralympic-sailor.com and www.paralympic-sailor.com