The 31-year-old won bronze medals in slalom at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Paralympics and created an Australian record by winning the bronze medal in the time trial cycling at Rio 2016.

She is now set to make her Commonwealth Games debut at Gold Coast 2018 after posting a qualifying time and winning both her sprint and time trial races at the 2018 Para Cycling Track National Championships last weekend.

Gallagher’s story is a complex one.

She had initially wanted to be a netball player but, when she lost 90 per cent of her eyesight at 17, she had to reconsider her options.

Four years later, in 2007, she discovered para sport and went on to claim bronze in the ski slalom at her first Winter Paralympics in 2010 before training in javelin and long jump in time for London 2012.

However, after failing to win a medal at London 2012, Gallagher almost missed her chance of winning a Summer Paralympic medal as long jump and javelin were dropped from the Rio 2016 agenda, making her reconsider her options.

“One of the unique elements of Paralympic sport is that not every event is considered," she told the Gold Coast 2018 website.

“For me to fulfil my long term goal, I had to look elsewhere so I took up track cycling.

“My first time at a velodrome [in 2014] was incredibly exciting and overwhelming, knowing this was something I wanted to pursue.

“As soon as we started flying up and down the boards I just fell in love with that speed element.”

Gallagher’s achievements in multiple disciplines started after her mother said: "Try everything once, because you never know what you might be good at or what you might have fun at.”

In an interview with the official Gold Coast 2018 website, the Australian says she has followed this advice throughout her career.

“It’s rung true for me in my career,” Gallagher said.

“Having lost the majority of my eyesight as a teenager and since representing Australia in three different sports, I could never have imagined myself at the Commonwealth Games as a para track cyclist.

“If you told me 10 years ago, I’d think you were crazy.”

Gallagher also expressed her excitement of wearing the Australian colours at next year’s Commonwealth Games.

“Wearing the green and gold is something I grew up dreaming about achieving,” she said.

“I would sit on the side of the netball courts and watch my mum play netball and I would aspire to one day be like her and represent Australia in netball.

“As things happen and things change my life took an entirely different path so to be able to now compete at a Commonwealth Games as a Paralympic track cyclist blows me away.

“Competing on home soil in a major championship is incredibly exciting for me.

“I can picture the crowds in the Velodrome being sold out and screaming as you push out of the start gate.

“It drives me every single day.

“It’s a very exciting opportunity to be a part of.”