CLUTCHING their impressive haul of medals, siblings Katie, Lucy and Jack proudly reel off the list of sports in which they brought home gold, silver and bronze.

Just a few months ago, the teenagers couldn’t have imagined taking part, let alone succeeding, at athletics, football or basketball.

They’d spent much of their young lives sitting on the sidelines. As much as they wanted to join in with the other children, their height meant they simply couldn’t compete on a level playing field.

They were born with a condition known as hypochondroplasia, a hereditary form of dwarfism that both their mother and grandmfather had before them. At 4ft 8ins, 16-year-old Katie stands the tallest of the trio.

But at last month’s Dwarf National Open Games in Birmingham they finally had an opportunity to shine – and now they’re the talk of the dwarf athletics community.

“I don’t want to sound rude, but I had never seen so many dwarfs in my life,” Katie, who is already being tipped as a contender for the London 2012 Paralympics, said.

“It was unbelievable, everywhere you looked there was another dwarf who you hadn’t met yet. It was so nice to be around other people who are the same as us.”

It’s a remarkable turn of events for a family that last year suffered unimaginable heartache.

In July, their mother, Joy, died at the age of 45, just six months after being diagnosed with sarcoma, an aggressive soft tissue cancer.

Katie had became her mum’s full-time carer and eight years after their parents separated, their father returned to look after the family.

“It was tough. I had been away for all of those years and then woosh, I was back,” dad Peter said.

Three months after Joy passed away at Countess Mountbatten House in West End, the former coach driver decided the children needed something to help them live a normal childhood.

A teacher at Sholing Technology College, where Lucy, 14, and Jack, 13, are pupils in Years 9 and 8 respectively, suggested they join the Dwarf Athletics Association (DAA).

Energetic Jack was the first to get involved and his enthusiasm rubbed off on his sisters, who also joined in the fun.

Then something potentially life-changing happened – Katie picked up a shot put.

With absolutely no training at all, the Itchen College student threw over 6m. At first she thought nothing of it, until she turned and saw the look of shock etched on the face of DAA regional coach Bronwin Carter.

“It was remarkable,” Bronwin said. “The record is 7.58m and she is already throwing over 6m with no training.

She could be going to the Paralympics. She has to train for it, but she has the potential.”

Dwarf Athletic Association UK development officer Tim Shepherd, said sport had the potential to transform their lives.

“It increases their self-confidence, their self-esteem and makes them aware that they can compete and achieve just as any other athlete can in the right circumstances,” he said.

“It’s important for anybody, but particularly for those with a restrictive growth condition because people seem to think it is OK to ridicule that condition.

“Quite a lot of people with this condition experience that on the street or at school, but to achieve on this kind of level improves their self-esteem.”

By the time of the Dwarf National Open Games, Katie’s reputation had already caused a buzz.

Paralympians, including swimmer Eleanor Simmonds – who became an overnight sensation when she won two gold medals at the Beijing Games – sought her out.

Katie won gold in javelin and discus and came second in the shot-put after being pipped by just 5cm by the British Paralympian Sophie Hancock.

“It was amazing,” Katie said. “They were giving me high-fives and saying that I could well be the next kid on the block.”

She added: “Mum did not believe in anything like that.

She did not think you had to have a competition just for short people.

“But it’s great that we can compete against other dwarfs, it means we don’t have to keep up with ‘standard people’. When you look around you realise you’re not the only ones in Britain who have got it.”

Watching in the stands were their proud grandparents, Geoffrey and Carol Wilkinson.

“It’s not just a sport thing, it’s about being out with children similar to them. All of a sudden there is a huge family that they did not have before,” Carol said.

“We try to not think about their height – to us they are just our grandchildren and we think they are great.”

Dad Peter almost can’t believe how much sport has transformed their life. Last weekend, they were on the slopes at the Southampton Alpine Centre and they’ve already set their sights on the 2013 World Dwarf Games in New York.

“It feels totally awesome,” he said. “They have so much fun and it’s so nice that they get to compete against people their own size. There’s also none of the nastiness they have to put up with.

“For any normal sized person what they have been through is hard, but to be in their situation and come out the other side is amazing.”