Emily Petricola
Emily Petricola had always been involved in sports, but in 2007, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) at the age of 27.
Petricola has described MS as an “invisible disability”; it affects every aspect of life in unpredictable, unseen ways: from tremors to sight loss to extreme fatigue and much more.
Determined to continue her sporting pursuits, in 2015 she began training with five-time Olympic cyclist Shane Kelly. Within three years, she was on a world championship podium, winning silver and bronze at the 2018 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships.
Alistair Donohoe
Donohoe grew up in the Northern Territory dreaming of becoming an elite sportsperson. However, a freak accident at age 15 almost cost him his right arm: a rope swing wrapped around his arm as he jumped into a creek, severing most of his biceps and triceps.
He had begun cycling a few years earlier through a triathlon club. So, after his accident, he made it his goal to get back on the bike.
Carol Cooke
Born in 1961, Carol Cooke was a talented swimmer but failed to reach the Olympics when her native Canada boycotted the 1980 Moscow Games. She worked as a police officer for 14 years, including a stint undercover with the drug squad.
In 1994, she moved to Australia with her husband. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998.
In 2006, Cooke took up rowing, but her team narrowly missed qualification for the Beijing 2008 Paralympics.