The pioneer for female Paralympians died this week, 50 years after laying the foundation for women to follow her path.
Daphne Hilton (nee Ceeney) was a trailblazer for female athletes, leading the way for Paralympians and also winning 14 medals in multiple sports at her three Paralympic appearances.
Hilton was the only female competitor at the inaugural 1960 Rome Paralympics where she won six medals.
Family friend and facilitator for the Australian Paralympic history project Tony Naar said she proved debilitating injuries could not stop ambition.
"She was prepared to make that world her own, showing women that you could continue to participate in sport after you've had a major accident," Naar said.
That accident occurred when aged 17, Hilton broken her back falling off a horse, leaving her as a paraplegic with no movement of the lower body.
Although Hilton laid the foundations for future female Paralympians, Naar said she didn't see herself as a trailblazer.
"I don't know if she would have necessarily seen herself as making it easier for people, she just went along and took part," Naar said.
"As a Paralympic athlete she was exceptional. She was undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes of her era that Australia produced.
"She medalled in five different sports. No one will ever do that again, and no one ever did that at the time."
Remarkably, Hilton was the first paraplegic to give birth to twins in Australia and possibly the world.
She competed at the 1960 Rome, 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Tel Aviv Paralympics, where she competed in archery, athletics, fencing, table tennis and swimming.
Hilton passed away in Canberra last Monday aged 82.
