Angie Ballard (athletics) will attempt to reclaim the 1500m T54 gold medal she won eight years ago in Glasgow when she and swimmer Blake Cochrane become the first Australian Para-athletes to compete at four Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The Canberra-born and based athlete – who relinquished her title after a narrow defeat by teammate Madison de Rozario four years ago on the Gold Coast – was severely injured in a car accident in 1989 aged seven. Five years later, the then 12-year-old began wheelchair racing after her parents convinced both Angie and her brother – who has spina bifida – to get involved in Para-sport. Her Paralympic debut came at Sydney 2000 and her first medal came four years later in Athens, where she finished third in the 100m T53 as reigning world champion. Ballard is now a six-time Paralympian with four silver and four bronze medals. She also has five gold medals from the world championships, along with five silver and two bronze. She finished 6th in the 800m T54 at her Commonwealth Games debut in Melbourne in 2006. Coached by Fred Periac, Ballard has been a long-time advocate for organisations with an interest in people with disabilities, sport, health and exercise.