The journey to the Paris Olympics and Paralympics has been far from straightforward for the hundreds of athletes hoping to represent Australia. For many, it represents a lifetime of commitment to a goal that isn't always guaranteed. ABC Sport's documentary 'Countdown to Paris' has followed five athletes as they strive to make their mark in Paris.
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00:00The gold is always on my mind.
00:04Alistair Donohoe has a strong sense of unfinished business heading into the Paralympics.
00:10I've won three silvers in the Paralympics before and people think that they might be
00:15the highlights of my career, but like I unfortunately hate those silvers, like they're just a reminder
00:21of like what I missed.
00:23Noemi Fox has spent her life surrounded by Olympians, mum and coach Miriam, dad Richard
00:30and the greatest paddler of all time, sister Jessica.
00:35With Jess taking Australia's only quota positions in the three canoe slalom events, Noemi's
00:41only chance was finishing in the top three at the Kayak Cross Global Qualification event
00:46in Prague.
00:47It's exciting for me this year to see that there is an opportunity no matter how small
00:53it may seem at the time or it's still achievable.
00:57Melissa Wu's elite career started as a child.
01:00At 32 it was her mission to become the first Australian diver to go to five Olympics.
01:07It's the first time I think in my career I've really dived for me and not as much pressure,
01:12being able to just enjoy it.
01:14Campbell Harrison is making his mark in one of the newer Olympic events, sport climbing.
01:19I really love the way that, especially in the lead and boulder disciplines that I specialise
01:23in, it's always fresh and new and it's always changing and you never know exactly what kind
01:29of challenge is going to be presented to you.
01:33Jamison Leeson was initially reluctant to play boccia, now she's a gold medal favourite.
01:39It's given me so much more to my life that I didn't have before and taken me and given
01:44me so many opportunities that I never knew I could even have.
02:14I'm Jamison Leeson.
02:15I'm a gold medalist.
02:16I'm a gold medalist.
02:17I'm a gold medalist.
02:44I'm Jamison Leeson.
02:45I'm a gold medalist.
02:46I'm a gold medalist.
02:47I'm a gold medalist.
03:14I'm Jamison Leeson.
03:15I'm a gold medalist.
03:44I'm Jamison Leeson.
03:45I'm a gold medalist.