12:00a.m. 21st March 2008

Maroochydore swimmer Marayke Jonkers is vying for a place on her third Paralympic swim team when she flies to Sydney on Monday.

Maroochydore swimmer Marayke Jonkers is vying for a place on her third Paralympic swim team when she flies to Sydney on Monday.

The 26-year-old will contest the 150m Individual medley on March 26th at the Telstra Australian Championships,which double as the Olympic and Paralympic selection trials.

Australia will send 18 women and 17 male swimmers to the Paralympics and Jonkers will need to swim a fast time to qualify.

She is currently ranked 4th in the world, and the Australian record holder for the event.

If selected, she will be the eldest and longest serving female member of the team, which will be announced on March 28.

Jonkers won two bronze medals at the Athens 2004 paralympic Games, and represented Australia at the Sydney 2000 Games.

She has broken over 70 Australian records during her 12 year swimming career which began after she became paraplegic in a car accident at eight months old.

When the doctors told Marayke's mum her daughter would never walk again, she taught her to swim instead.

Marayke trains at Cotton Tree pool 6 days a week.