When Jon Horsburgh was 10 years old, he was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease – a degenerative genetic eye disease that affects his central vision.

Then as a teenager, Jon met 1996 Paralympic goalballer Rob Crestani, who introduced the boy from Melbourne to goalball at a come and try day.

Enjoying the focus he feels when on the court, Jon continued to play socially and became quite competitive. Although describing himself as super relaxed and easy going, he admits his calm nature disappears on the goalball court, replaced by a supreme focus to win.

In early high school, Sam Byrne discovered a sport he absolutely loved – goalball. Having lost his eyesight after he was diagnosed with cancer of the retina, he found goalball to be a sport where no one had a sight advantage over him.

Sam credits his mother with his increasing success in goalball. With her continued support in driving him long distances to local goalball competitions, Sam progressed to playing goalball for Australia at an international level in just five years.

Willing to give anything a go, Ben MacFie believes it is his focused and tenacious approach to sport that has allowed him to flourish.

Ben was encouraged to take up goalball by Terry Kenaghan, the founder of goalball in Australia, and drawn to its uniqueness, intensity and challenges as a team sport, he soon loved it.

Don’t mistake Lisa McIntosh for being a competitive swimmer when you meet her. The swim instructor is actually better known as a dynamo on the track, having broken world records in 100m, 200m and 400m events.

The speedster from Beaconsfield in Victoria is the world’s fastest in her category, a record she has held since 2000. Born with cerebral palsy, Lisa is an experienced performer having competed and placed on the medal dais at the last three Paralympic Games. In Beijing, Lisa won two gold medals in the 100m and 200m.

Kirrilee McPherson has already had a brush with athletics’ fame having met the ‘’Lithgow Flash’’: two time Olympic sprint gold medallist, Marjorie Jackson.

Competing with a hereditary vision impairment, Jon Bernard currently holds the national record times for all distances between 100m and 1500m in the under 20 age group. He also holds the open record for the all ages 200m sprint for Australia and Oceania.

Outgoing and gregarious, Jodi Willis-Roberts is a bit of a character both at play and on the field. The multi-medal winner, who has had a vision impairment since birth, has represented Australia in three sports and at six Paralympic Games and is now hoping she can make London number seven.

Jodi made her Paralympic debut in goalball at the 1988 Paralympics where Australia finished seventh. Following the Seoul Games, Jodi added athletics to her repertoire and was a member of the Australian Paralympic athletics team at every Paralympic Games from 1992 to 2008.

Jenni Bryce has always loved animals, and has only recently adopted athletics as a second love after having her left leg amputated above the knee and her left arm amputated above her elbow.

Greg Hibberd is an outgoing, energetic and easy going individual who believes that such qualities have enabled him to succeed in life.

Known by most as ‘Laces’ or the ‘Thrupp Myster’, Queensland’s Darren Thrupp is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to running and long jump. With Beijing his sixth Paralympics, he won’t be retiring any time soon, looking for his seventh Games in London.