TWO athletes from Fareham are trying to follow in the footsteps of stars such as Ben Ainslie, Shirley Robertson, Matthew Pinsent, Kelly Holmes and Pete Waterfield.

The quintet mentioned above were just four of Team GB's medal winners at the Olympics in Athens last month.

The Games attracted a massive worldwide audience and the British stars were afforded a heroes' reception when they returned to these shores after competing.

An open-topped bus tour around London next month has also been organised.

Pictured right are Kim Minett (discus and shot put) and Ross Morrison (wheelchair rugby), who are not as well known as the above-mentioned stars and unlikely to be feted in the national press if they win medals in the next fortnight while competing in the Paralympics in Greece.

The Paralympics, like their able-bodied bigger brother, are taking place in Greece. They start tonight and finish on September 28.

Some 4,000 athletes from 145 countries will compete at Athens and Great Britain is taking a 166-strong team to compete in 15 sports.

The sports taking place at the Paralympics are: Archery, athletics, boccia, cycling, equestrian, fencing, football, goalball, judo, powerlifting, sailing, shooting, standing volleyball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby.

In Sydney four years ago, the Paralympic team became one of the most successful British sporting teams of all time when it won 131 medals (41 gold, 43 silver, 47 bronze) and came second only to hosts Australia on the overall medal table.

And the team, part sponsored by Cowes Week festival sponsors Skandia and also part-funded by UK Lottery money, are aiming high.

"We're aiming to win between 35 and 42 gold medals and finish with more than 110 medals in total," said Phil Lane, Chef de Mission of the British Paralympic Association.

Morrison can't wait to show what he can do in front of a world audience. The 25-year-old said: "In essence, wheelchair rugby bears very little correlation to actual rugby, except in terms of the level of violence involved.

"It's played indoors on a basketball court with four players from each team on court at any one time and uses a regular volleyball. The idea is to push through the goal at the other end of the court, carrying the ball.

"It's full contact, so although there's no actual body contact the chair contact is full on."

Don't miss tomorrow's Daily Echo magazine for a full interview with Ross Morrison.