The motto for the London Olympics and Paralympics was "inspire a generation", and Paralympic swimmer Mary Fisher hopes she did that with her four-medal haul in August.
Fisher is totally blind and claimed a gold, two silvers and a bronze in London, as well as a world record, swimming in the S11 class on her Paralympics debut. Her feats have been recognised in the New Year's Honours list with membership of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Fellow Paralympic medallist Phillipa Gray, who is sight and hearing impaired, and her pilot Laura Fairweather also became members of the order of merit after claiming gold in the B (tandem) women's pursuit in world record time, silver in the tandem women's road time trial and bronze in the tandem women's 1km time trial.
Just being named in the New Zealand team was something Fisher had dreamed of. To win four medals and set a new world record was beyond anything she thought possible.
She was the final Kiwi to compete in London and set the world record in her last race, the 200m individual medley.