In 1988, he made his debut at the Seoul Paralympic Games and in total competed in four Paralympic Games. The highlight of a distinguished career was at the Barcelona 1992 Games, when he won six gold medals and one silver. By the time he retired from swimming after the Sydney Games he had won 15 Paralympic medals including nine golds. So impressed was Queen Elizabeth II, she awarded him an MBE for his services to sport.

Zorn is the most successful Paralympian of all-time, having competed for USA’s swim team from 1980-2000. In seven Games, she won a staggering 55 medals, including 41 golds, nine silvers and five bronze. She held many world records during her career, two of which still stand today, eight years after she last competed.

Sauvage of Australia is the fourth most successful female track athlete of all-time, having won 13 medals, including nine golds. She made her Paralympic debut in Barcelona in 92 and competed in three further Games in Atlanta, Sydney and Athens. At her home Games in 2000 she won two golds and one silver medal much to the delight of the Australian fans. Since retiring she has launched a foundation which supports children with an impairment and has taken steps into coaching.

Marson, an Italian inducted posthumously, excelled at three sports – Athletics, Wheelchair Fencing and Swimming - during his career which covered four Paralympic Games. Between 1964 and 1976 he won 26 medals, including 16 golds. After retiring from competition he founded two sports clubs in Rome and created and led the Italian Sport Federation for Handicapped People, which later became the Italian Disabled Sport Federation.

Ponta, a coach who started out as a highly successful Paralympian, will also be inducted posthumously after passing away in June 2011 at the age of 75 after a long illness. Between 1960 and 1976, he competed for Australia in five Paralympic Games covering several sports including basketball, pentathlon, swimming and wheelchair fencing. At the end of his competitive career he coached several medal-winning Paralympic athletes including Louise Sauvage, Priva Cooper and Madison de Rozario. He was influential in developing junior wheelchair sports in Western Australia, placing particular emphasis on sportsmanship and fair play.