Israeli athlete Pascale Bercovitch has been finalising her preparations for next month's Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where she will targeting a podium spot in the kayaking.

Athlete Pascale Bercovitch, has been putting together her final preparations on Tel Aviv's Yarkon River, ahead of the upcoming Paralympic games in Rio de Janeiro
49-year-old Bercovitch will be representing Israel in kayaking. .

SOUNDBITE: (English) Pascale Bercovitch, athlete:

"I really hope to get a medal in Rio in kayaking. I love this sport, I'm fond of it, I'm hopefully fast enough to be on the podium."

Bercovitch, who was born in France, lost both her legs in a rail accident when she was 17.

After her release from hospital she emigrated to Israel and volunteered in the Israeli army.

Later she began competing in Paralympic sports, first as a rower and then specializing in hand cycling, and in recent years has taken up the kayak.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Pascale Bercovitch, athlete:

"People say to me oh ok it is good because you have no legs, and you are in the kayak, you need only your arms, no no no in the kayak you are using your legs, you are using your belly, all the body is working very very tough, very hard, and I love it very much because you know, I love to use all my body, I have a short one but I love to use it"

Bercovitch competed in hand cycling at the London 2012 Games and as a rower at the Beijing Games in 2008.

She is also a motivational speaker and says she uses her experience as a Paralympic athlete to inspire her clients.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Pascale Bercovitch, athlete:

"When you are a Paralympian you have to cope with the sport but you have to cope with your disability too, and in Israel we are very good with coping with our disabilities and we are giving strength one to each other and we are working together as a big team, I think this is the reason why we bring more medals"
Israel is sending 33 athletes to the Games in Rio, where Berkovitch will hope an inspirational performance can propel her to Paralympic medal success.