WHILE Kurt Fearnley joined Paralympic athletes from across the globe in celebrating on Monday as the countdown to the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janerio reached 100 days, the Carcoar native was also thinking about pain.

That is what he knows the rest of the countdown will hold for him as he prepares himself for a tough schedule of racing.

Speaking after he crashed in the men’s T54 5,000 metre Notwill Grand Prix race in Switzerland on the weekend – which was won by Thailand’s Rawat Tana – Fearnley admitted he will need to find more speed to claim gold in Brazil.

“It’s going to take, I’d say, about two kilometres faster than I’m currently going,” he said.

“It might sound easy, but that’s 100 days of some pretty painful hours.”

Still, Fearnley’s response to his crash – “barely a flesh wound” – is an indication of how willing he is to endure pain as he seeks more Paralympic glory.

Since making his Paralympic debut at Sydney in 2000, Fearnley has won 11 Games medals, including marathon gold in Athens and Beijing.

Rio will be his last chance to add to that tally, with Fearnley to contest the marathon as well as the shorter 1,500m and 5,000m events.

But there is no doubt which race he wants to win the most – the 42.2km push.

“I can’t wait until the night before the Rio marathon, knowing it will be the last time I race for Australia at a Paralympics,” he told The Advertiser.

“You go to bed feeling sick. You barely sleep a wink. But you know that the next morning you’re going to use up every bit of that anxiety and nervousness and excitement. And at the end, there’s nothing left.

“I know this is the last one, so it’s the only chance I’m going to get for that third marathon gold medal.”

While what plays out in Rio remains to be seen, Fearnley has already been given one honour for the Games which he rates high on his list of achievements.

He will act as the Australian Paralympic team co-captain alongside Daniela Di Toro. 

“I am looking forward to Rio in 2016 because it is my last Games. I’ve had four of them so far, this will be my fifth and also as team captain, co-captain, to go out leading the Australian team, I couldn’t ask for anything better,” he said.

“I grew up as a young fellah at Carcoar believing that the green and gold was royalty. My uncle [Terry] got to coach Australia in rugby league when I was a kid, so you grow up dreaming that pulling on those colours might be a reality.

“There are some of the most powerful people within our country who are in this team, so being chosen to help lead that team – mate, I dunno. There’s just no higher honour.”

Away from the track, Fearnley has been announced as one of a record 22 athletes who will run for election on the International Paralympic Committee Athletes’ Council at the Rio Paralympic Games.

Elections for the six-summer sport representatives on the council will take place between September 5-16.