Once shrugged off as a participant-friendly event, Leslie said the culture embodying success at the paralympics had developed a more reputable acceptance on the world stage.
"The London paralympics sort of set the precedence that disability sports should be looked at equally by our able-bodied counterparts. I really do think there has been a lot of progress made in it and you are given the respect from your peers at an athletic level."
With plans to add a third piece of metal to his gold medals attained at the Beijing and London paralympics, Leslie said he would be looking to shrug off any complacency - especially with the threat of a new rival in the form of Russia's Roman Zhdanov, who pipped him by just over a second at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow.
"I do the sport to win, I don't do it to come second. I was a little disappointed to come second but it makes you cherish your time at the top a little more," Leslie said.
Also pinning her hopes on a golden ticket to Rio, Dargaville native Emma Foy will be gunning for nothing less than first across her para-cycling disciplines.
Visually impaired, Foy said she and her sighted teammate and pilot Laura Thompson would need to maintain strong communication links if they were to come home from Rio with precious metal hanging around their necks.
"She's my eyes, she can see normally and she has pretty much full control of the bike.
"It's kind of like a rowing double, I guess, we have to work in sync," Foy said.
"We just got back from our road worlds and did the best we've ever done there.
"We've got the world title in the 3km pursuit for the last two years, so we'd like to keep that spot.
"It's very close and very possible, we've got one big competition in March, and that's last chance to practise everything. After that, it will be straight Rio training."
