Nicknamed ‘Pipes’, swimmer Peter Leek is determined to make a mark for himself. He left that mark in Beijing where he squashed the dreams of many swimmers by winning a medal in each of his events which included three gold, four silver and one bronze medal.

When Patrick Donachie won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, little did he know that it would be 12 years before he would again have a chance to represent Australia at a Paralympic Games.

After 2000, athletes with an intellectual disability were banned from the Paralympic Games when the Spanish men’s basketball team was found to include athletes who did not have disabilities. Patrick is now the only remaining member of the Sydney 2000 swim team who still swims competitively.

Daughter of Australian swimming legend Steve Holland, Nerice Holland is also making waves in the pool.

Nerice, who has an intellectual disability, showed her talent in the pool from an early age, starting swimming at just six months. Encouraged to pursue her talents by her parents, at 19 Nerice won five gold, three silver and one bronze medal at the 2007 INAS-FID World Championships in Belgium.

Marayke Jonkers is the longest serving female in the Australian Paralympic swimming squad and is a role model to all those around her. She has held the world record for the 100m butterfly and has broken more than 60 Australian records in breaststroke, the individual medley, freestyle and butterfly.

Kayla Clarke has ensured everything in her life revolves around her passion for swimming. It is through this attitude and years of hard work that she stands ready to compete for gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Strong-willed, independent and hard working, Jeremy Tidy wants to be one of the best disabled swimmers in the world. He finished fifth in the 200m individual medley and the 100m backstroke at the 2006 IPC World Swimming Championships and has held the Australian records for his class in the 200m individual medley, the 100m backstroke and the 50m freestyle.

Over a decade ago, a young swimmer named Ben Austin burst on to the Australian swimming scene. With countless World Championships, two Commonwealth Games and three Paralympic Games behind him, Ben holds 11 Paralympic medals and is a veteran of the Australian Paralympic swim team.

Sam Bramham certainly entered the Australian Paralympic team with a splash, breaking the world record in the heats of the 100m butterfly at the Athens Paralympics, his first race for the team. He later went on to win a bronze medal in the finals. In 2006, Sam managed to win the 100m butterfly in Berlin and again capture the world record.

Sam, like any other person his age, enjoys relaxing by hanging out with his mates and going to the movies to unwind. Apart from his professional swimming, Sam has also played various other sports such as AFL, rugby union and water polo.

Sarah Rose first competed in swimming in 2001 after being inspired by the Sydney Paralympic Games. She moved speedily through the ranks and made her Australian debut two years later at the Canadian National Championships.

It didn’t take long for Sarah to realise her Paralympic dream as she was selected in the Australian swimming team for the 2004 Games.

The Pymble resident emerged from Athens with a bronze medal in the 50m butterfly and stamped her authority with a series of sterling performances in the following years.

Jeremy McClure may have lost 98 per cent of his sight at the age of 15, but he did not lose his vision for inspiring young people.

The West Australian turned his disability into a passion for swimming and his immediate success in the pool received acclaim from those around him. In just his second year of competing for Australia, Jeremy was first selected in the swimming team for the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games.

He then reached his second consecutive Paralympic final in the 100m backstroke at Beijing 2008.