Dave Roberts has won 11 Paralympic Gold Medals

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One of Britain's greatest paralympians, Roberts took his gold medal tally to 11 in Beijing in 2008 with four successes to add to the four from Athens in 2004 and three from Sydney in 2000.

Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when he was 11, he took up swimming as way of physiotherapy. Three years later he was competing for his country and so began the start of an amazing career.

At his first Paralympics in Sydney, he left with eight medals: three golds, four silvers and a bronze.

How highly he is thought of in his home country - and beyond - was shown in 2010 when he was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame at the same time as Welsh rugby legend JJ Williams.

In a memorable 2010 at the IPC World Swimming Championships in Eindhoven in August, he won gold in the 100m freestyle S7 but 2011 has been a frustrating time. Roberts has suffered with a number of injuries which have prevented him from being ready for the European Championships, the main event of the year.