He is a recurrent world record holder for the 100 metres and Australian champion for the 400 metres disabled track events.

“Now I’m training six days a week and doing ‘lactic acid tolerance’, long distances and swimming,” he said.

But being a wheelchair athlete has its fair share of problems. “I can only train on paths, roads and tracks, not on grass. “My equipment is expensive, a racing wheelchair costing $2,000 and a tyre blowout $60,” he said.

Les Beath, 15, from Auburn, calls himself an “amp”. He had his right leg amputated four years ago after he developed cancer.

“Before that I played Rugby League. After the operation I took up swimming,” he said. Les trains with “able-bodied people” at the Auburn Swimming Club but he competes with other amputees.

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He has competed in three State games and next week will be his third National event. This is to be held at the Institute of Sport in Canberra, from which a team will be selected to go to the Pan-Am games in August at Long Island, United States.

He trains at least six days a week and his main events are the 100 metre backstroke, 100 metre freestyle and 200 metre medley.