He graced the back page of last week’s Advocate with his incredible triple gold haul in Beijing – two of which were in world record time. He won gold in the 100m, 200m and 400m.

But Francis, who grew up in the Great Lakes, was back on the dais again later in the week as part of the bronze winning men’s amputee class relay team.

It was a motley crew including a high jumper recovering from chicken pox and a thrower who did the bulk of his training a few hours before the race. They finished behind the United States and Brazil.

Francis, who at the age of seven lost the lower portion of his right arm after it was caught in a meat mincer on the family property in Booral (near Bulahdelah), said the team had trained for a race with batons, but was told just before the race that touch would be used for the changeover.

“There was a T45 from Brazil racing, who is a guy with no hands,” he said.

“It was all news to us so we had to adjust our game and race plan.

Aaron Chatman from the ACT, who spent 10 days in quarantine for chicken pox before arriving in Beijing on Friday, said the team effort made the medal sweeter.

Paul Raison from Queenland joked he might change from throwing to running while the fourth member of the team, Stephen Wilson (from Queensland), ran an individual 400m about half an hour later and finished fifth.

Francis, now 26, lives and trains in Canberra.